Don't Think You Won't Enable After DOT Supervisor Training

Many supervisors fail to act on the DOT supervisor training that they received because they still feel compelled to do something else other than confront the employee. If you do not think that this could ever be you, think again. Here the "practical" solutions may companies have taken to deal with substance abuse problems. Transferring the employee to another division or department to “get rid of” the problem. Using transfers as disciplinary actions. Failing to take action when promised in response to performance problems think they are temporary and will take care of them selves. Projecting your own alcohol and drug use excesses on the employee and believing just a little more willpower is necessary. Remember, most alcoholics and drug addicts have a belief that the abuse of alcohol or drugs when out of control is based upon willpower because their past history was success with willpower.

No DOT Requirements for Training? Do It Any Way with a DOT PowerPoint Because You Reduce Risk

60 Minutes of Alcohol Awareness and 60 Minutes of Drug Awareness

When you conduct DOT Supervisor Training, do not give 120 minutes of audio visual material. Instead make this about 75 minutes, and the with 25-30 test questions and a selection of handouts on reasonable suspicion training, teach the rest of the material. On the test questions, have answer whether right or wrong that educate the learner. Now you have package worth training with! You must help supervisors engage with the material, because if you do not, you will not be exercise due care in help them grasp the material so they will act on it.

What most DOT Supervisor Training Course Completely Overlook

Most dot supervisor training courses focus on signs, symptoms, effects, risk, and impact of substance abuse. Great--no problem with any of that. So, what's missing? The answer is myths and misconceptions about alcoholism. Wait! the U.S. Department of Transportation does not require that information at all, so why would it be important. Well, the answer is manipulation. Employee with substance abuse problems use a selection of defense mechanisms, like denial, to avoid their self-diagnosis. They know the symptoms of alcoholism or substance addiction that they do not have, and use this information to avoid anxiety caused by self-awareness. In other words, they are lying to themselves with awareness so they do need to take the next step and deal with the anxiety by getting treatment. That indeed is a tough assignment. But there are other defense mechanisms that help support the primary foundation defense mechanism of denial--and these are the ones employees will use against you as a supervisor. You can learn more about these defense mechanism if you click on the alcoholism button here, but also cover them all in the dot supervisor training course.

 

• V001 Drugs of Abuse Chart
• V002 Progression and Recovery Curve of the Alcoholic
• V003 Tracking Sheet for EAP: Follow-up of Recovering Clients
• V004 Addictive Disease in the Workplace Progression Curve
• V005 Enabling in the Workplace
• V006 Five Ways to Refer an Employee to the EAP
• V007 60 Signs and Symptoms Checklist
• V008 How to Write a Corrective Letter
• V009 Back-to-Work Conference Guidelines
• V010 Avoiding Armchair Diagnosis
• V011 25 Questions for the Person in a Relationship with an Addict
• V012 Ten Role Plays and EAP Referral Scenarios for Supervisors
• V013 Best EAP Referral Tips for Supervisors
• V014 Enabling: Definition, Impact, and Loss
• V015 After EAP Follow-up Tips for Supervisors

Reasonable Suspicion Training: Understanding Drug Tolerance in the Employee You are Confronting

Tolerance is defined as the need to use larger amounts of a substance over time in order to experience its effects. Reasonable Suspicion Training must discuss this issue. If you do not understand tolerance, you will be manipulated by the average employee who appears to be drinking on the job. Most people who drink alcoholic beverages experience little or no changes in tolerance over the course of their lives (relative to body weight). However, approximately ten percent of drinkers do experience increases in tolerance. These drinkers are able to consume larger quantities of alcohol compared to their peers. While drinking, they may appear unaffected despite their higher blood alcohol level (BAL). These drinkers ONLY THINK THEY are less likely to become alcoholic because they can "handle it". The bottom line is that they are acquiring chemical dependency, and this process may last 20 years before it is noticed by the average supervisor. #dot supervisor training #reasonable suspicion training