3. Follow-Through.

a. All company employees are expected to follow company standards. Make sure your employee understands fully what to expect when indifferences or abuse of these standards occurs.

b. A plan for improvement should be realized. Get a commitment from the employee. 4. Intervention.

It is your responsibility to intervene. You have a legitimate right to interfere when one's job performance is below standard. It is highly probable that a troubled employee's performance will improve if he or she is confronted constructively and consistently. On the other hand, if he or she is ignored or warned in an inconsistent or arbitrary manner, it is highly unlikely that his or her performance will improve.

Be as supportive as you can of the individual to motivate him or her to seek help. You can do this by:

1. Making the offer of help through the Employee Assistance Program.

2. Explaining your legitimate concern over job performance.

3. Reinforcing the confidentiality of the Employee Assistance Program.

4. Emphasizing the professional approach.

5. Explaining the viewpoint of management in supporting the Employee Assistance Program. You must convince the troubled employee of just one thing: there must be no doubt in the individ: al's mind that the job performance is unsatisfactory and that he or she. regardless of any and all other problems. has a very real current problem of job performance which must be faced now.

If. as a result of discussions with an employee. the supervisor is reasonably certain of the nature of the underlying cause of an employee's job performance problems, and they can be resolved between the supervisor and the employee, the supervisor should take whatever steps are appropriate to help resolve the work situation. The employee should simply be offered a firm. fair choice. accept the confidential help of the supervisor for whatever problem may be causing poor job performance, or accept the consequences of that poor job performance.

If it is determined, however, that neither the efforts of the employee nor the supervisor are able to resolve the employee's problems, the supervisor should encourage the employee to accept the confidential help which is offered by the Employee Assistance Program. The employee should understand that the same consequences may result from failure to accept help from the Employee Assistance Program as is true in not accepting supervisory assistance. What Should the Supervisor Expect of the Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Department will cover the following areas with an employee referral:

1. Discuss the objectives of the Employee Assistance Program.

2. Find out why the individual came (if self-referral) or stress the reason he or she was referred if a job performance problem exists.

3. Assist the individual to identify basic nature of problem.

4. Discuss confidentiality aspects of program.

5. Offer several choices of referral sources (agencies) dealing with problems of that particular

nature.

6. Cover the employee's responsibility to follow through with agreed treatment procedure and follow-up program.

7. Explain appropriate company benefits and the extent of the employee's coverage for recommended treatment.

8. Follow-up with "significant others" when requested.

9. Set up after-care program if necessary.

When an Employee Returns

If an employee has been hospitalized for any reason, on return, the supervisor and employee share a common experience-the uneasiness of "apprehension". Since the employee has usually been away for treatment. the anxieties experienced can be testing to all concerned. There is ambivalence on the part of those in positions of authority. Should you be sympathetic and protective? Should you overlook problems and performance deficiencies for the initial period upon return? The employee will also have his or her areas of doubt and anxieties: They could be experiencing feelings of guilt, lower self-esteem, and considerable concern over how others view them. In some treatment procedures, they refer to this process as "re-entry". Each individual returning to work experiences these transitional pressures to a greater or lesser degree. What should you as a supervisor do, or how should you conduct yourself and your duties during this period? We think some of the following guidelines would be useful:

1. Keep feelings of sympathy and overprotectiveness to a minimum. The individual already feels different and sometimes these feelings are intensified by such an approach. 2. Sometimes you will rotice an immediate and significant improvement in performance. Sometimes the recovery process will be slow and gains will be less evident. The "trend" of performance is more important than isolated incidents of either extreme. A word of encouragement for a job well done is important and provides reinforcement.

3. There can be subtle changes later on. Be sensitive to mood swings. difficulty in handling routine situations, lack of interest. and sometimes a return to "old patterns". These could be signs of relapse. Discuss them with the Employee Assistance Department and seek advice on the matter and how to handle it.

4. Be sure you understand completely the advice given and follow it explicitly.

5. Encourage the employee to follow through with the recommendations of the Employee Assistance Program for after-care. If long-term therapy, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. psychiatry, group therapy, etc. has been suggested, be supportive of that solution throughout your involvement with the individual should they question you.

6. Don't expect that you are expected to know everything! And remember, TIME, and the passage of it, plays an important role. Give it time!

Reproduced with permission of the Central Maine Power Company

Contact: Almen Young, Employer Assistance Program Director (287)(23-3592!

6. Top Management
Support

Top Management Support: While top management may be in favor of a comprehensive drug and alcohol awareness program and a consistent company policy, the level of support will depend on how much management actually knows and learns about the health and safety hazards of drugs and alcohol and their impact at work. A management briefing by a top health professional on this matter, combined with a clear outline of the company's program and implementation plan, is recommended. The company's drug policy cannot afford to be compromised by a lack of understanding or interest at the top. nor can it be compromised by the perception of a double standard, one for the management with regard to alcohol on the job and another with regard to bargaining-unit employees' use of alcohol and/or drugs.

Strong emphasis on alcohol and drug policy with technical and professional personnel will enhance policy credibility with all employees and will reach a work group that is definitely affected by this problem.

To ensure that top management support is achieved, the following steps are recommended: a Briefing the chief executive officer and his senior management associates with health and safety information on drugs and alcohol before the program is presented companywide. spending enough time to involve management in questions and answers on the subject.

b. Ensuring that top management representatives attend their employee and departmental meetings on this subject and, in fact, deliver the policy guidance that is appropriate. c. Encouraging management to set an example regarding drinking during luncheon hours. d. Ensuring that senior management makes reference to the company's drug and alcohol policy and programs (including EAP) at departmental staff meetings.

e. Assigning one program manager, generally the chief industrial relations executive, to be responsible for the implementation of the program companywide. working closely in a team approach with other company officials.

7. Law Enforcement
Liaison

Law Enforcement Liaison: Federal law prohibits the possession, sale or use of controlled substances. State laws vary in penalty, but no state permits anyone or any institution to interpret what drugs should be confiscated, reported or thrown in the wastebasket. Notification to local law enforcement upon the discovery of suspected illegal substances should be standard policy, and companies should spell out this procedure so all employees are advised of the company's intention to meet this legal requirement. Most drug seizures on company property will be in small amounts and may not result in prosecution of the employee or employees in question. That decision, however, is a state or district attorney's determination, in concert with the police, and not the company's nor the personnel department's. The drug incident reporting form cited in this report provides for clear documentation of information. Company security directors or designated security representatives should take responsibility within the company for coordination and liaison with local law enforcement and for any internal inquiries that need to be made within the company of its own employees and/or contractors' employees.

A liaison visit by the plant or divisional senior official to the local chief of police, accompanied by the security director or security officer for that facility, is recommended. During that visit, the company's drug policy and awareness program can be outlined. Reference will be made to the company's intention to notify the police when suspected substances are found, and specific reporting procedures between security and police can be confirmed.

Such a visit will be welcomed by local law enforcement and will generate a better appreciation of the company's commitment to work with law enforcement and within the law, while also improving cooperation on this and other matters. Generally, prompt police notification results in less rather than more publicity, and avoids the potential implication by the media of an attempted coverup on the part of the company. On the contrary, the company is facing up to a widespread problem in society, and one which the company itself is committed to removing from the work place.