Alcohol & Drugs Policy 

  

Company Name: Teachers Together Ltd (“the Company”) 

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Use: Internal Policy

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Model Policy No.  AD1

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Model Policy Name: Alcohol & Drugs Policy 

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Date: February 2025

 

Version: 1.0

 

 

1. Overview

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We have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of our staff. 

 

In relation to drugs, these rules apply to those that are unlawful under the criminal law and not to prescribed medication. These rules aim to promote a responsible attitude to drink and drugs and to offer assistance to staff and who may need it.

 

2. Advice and counselling

 

It is our intention to deal constructively and sympathetically with a member of staff’s alcohol or drug related problems, such as alcohol or drug dependency. 

 

When it is known that a staff member has an alcohol or drug problem, we will be able to provide advice and guidance on how to seek suitable treatment. 

 

The primary objective of any discussions will be to assist the member of staff with the problem in as compassionate and constructive a way as possible. Any discussions of the nature of a member of staff’s alcohol or drug problem and the record of any treatment will be strictly confidential unless the member of staff agrees otherwise.

 

If you have an alcohol or drug problem, you should seek appropriate help. If you have an alcohol or drug problem which affects your conduct or performance at work and you refuse the opportunity to receive help, the matter will be referred for action under the Company’s disciplinary procedure as appropriate. Likewise, if after accepting counselling and assistance, and following review and evaluation, your conduct or work performance reverts to the problem level, the matter may also be dealt with through the disciplinary procedure. 

 

3. Prohibition on alcohol and drug consumption in the workplace

 

Drugs: No drugs must be brought onto or consumed on Company premises at any time. Staff must never take drugs if they are required to drive private or Company vehicles on Company business. 

 

Alcohol: No alcohol must be brought onto or consumed on Company premises during work hours. Staff must not consume alcohol if they are required to drive private or Company vehicles on Company business. 

 

Staff representing the Company at business/client functions or conferences or attending Company organised social events are expected to be moderate if drinking alcohol and to take specific action to ensure they are well within the legal limits if they are driving. All staff must bear in mind that their behaviour is a reflection on the Company.

 

Social drinking after normal working hours and away from the Company’s premises is generally a personal matter and does not directly concern the Company. The Company’s concern only arises when, because of the pattern or amount of drink involved, the member of staff’s attendance, work performance or conduct at work deteriorates.

 

A breach of these provisions is a disciplinary offence and will be dealt with in accordance with the Company’s disciplinary procedure. Depending on the seriousness of the offence, it may amount to gross misconduct and could result in the staff members summary dismissal.

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4. Alcohol and Drug Misconduct

 

Whilst these rules are aimed at assisting staff with alcohol or drug problems, action will nevertheless be taken under the Company’s disciplinary procedure if misconduct takes place at work as a result of drinking or taking drugs, or if a member of staff is found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs whilst at work. Even a small amount of alcohol can affect work performance and, if a member of staff is found under the influence of alcohol whilst at work, there could be serious health and safety consequences. The same applies to being under the influence of drugs. 

 

Incapacity or misconduct at work caused by alcohol or drugs is a potential gross misconduct offence under the Company’s disciplinary procedure and the member of staff is therefore liable to be summarily dismissed. This also applies to any member of staff believed to be buying or selling drugs or in possession of or taking drugs on the Company’s premises.

 

We reserve the right to suspend a member of staff on full pay while carrying out an investigation into an allegation of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work. 

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5. Testing

 

This procedure applies to testing of breath and / or bodily fluids for the purposes of determining whether a member of staff has alcohol and/or drugs in their body whilst at work.

 

This procedure is intended to ensure the safety of the individual members of staff, their work colleagues and members of the public.

 

Testing will be carried out where a Line Manager has reasonable suspicion that a member of staff may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

 

Testing will be carried out to ascertain the drugs and / or alcohol concentration levels in the body. The circumstances in which the Company can request a member of staff to agree to testing falls into any of the following:

 

Reasonable Cause of Suspicion

In cases where there is reasonable cause of suspicion of alcohol / drug misuse, the Company reserves the right to ask and obtain the consent of a member of staff to arrange for testing.

In these circumstances, any judgment must be based on evidence such as, but not limited to:

• Abnormal speech

• Smell of alcohol on the breath

• Behaviour that may be due to the effects of alcohol / drugs

• Allegation made by another person which there is no cause to disbelieve

• Reasonable grounds to suspect that the member of staff’s actions or omissions

• contributed to any accident or incident whilst at work

•  This requirement can take place either prior to commencing or during work.

 

Accident / Incident

Following an accident or incident, testing may be carried out if there is evidence to suggest those involved might have consumed alcohol and/or drugs in contravention of this policy. “Involved” in an accident or incident may require testing of those not only who are injured, but also any other staff who potentially contributed to the accident or incident event in any way.

 

Random testing

If the Company has cause for concern of general alcohol and/or drugs misuse random testing will be initiated. Agreement will be sought first from the Company Director.

 

Rehabilitation

As part of an agreed rehabilitation and aftercare process a member of staff may be required to undergo random periodic screening / testing.

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Subject to meeting any of the above conditions the member of staff should immediately be withdrawn from work and a breath or urine test requested to determine specific levels. The testing procedure and results undergo a strict chain of custody procedure. The member of staff will be stood down from his or her role during this period, until the result of the test has been confirmed.

 

Suspension maybe considered dependent upon the situation / incident. The  Company Director will decide this and the Company may seek advice from / and include an external professional third party advisor if necessary.

 

During testing procedures, the member of staff may wish to have a Trade Union representative or a work colleague present, however consideration must be given to the practicalities and timing if required and the process will not be delayed or halted. Due to the sensitive nature of the testing process, the Company will endeavour to ensure that strict confidentiality is observed by all involved in this process, which will be carried out in a confidential, sensitive and fair manner.

 

All test results will be kept confidential, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

 

If the member of staff passes the drug and / or alcohol tests undertaken, further investigation and discussion may be required depending on the reasons for initiating the test with the individual on a case-by-case basis.

 

Further advice or inclusion may be required from an external third party professional advisor and /or  the staff member’s General Practitioner.

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6. Refusal to Take a Test

 

If a member of staff refuses a reasonable management request to take a test, then their Line Manager may have no alternative but to invoke the Disciplinary Policy.

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