Under the influence – drugs and alcohol at work a dismissible offence?

Dismissing an employee who reports for work while found to be under the influence of drink or drugs might seem like the right thing to do at the time, however, hasty decisions could expose employers to substantial risk of related claims. Lessons from case law that show many factors need to be considered. It is also critically important to make sure that the organisation’s disciplinary and substance misuse policies properly define misconduct and that the health and safety implications are properly considered.