Big Problems When DOT Supervisors Drink with Their Employees

by Toni Burns, contributing author

DOT reasonable suspicion training for DOT regulated supervisors is a required and positive education process to  support and guide supervisors through the identification and referral of employees who may exhibit signs and symptoms of being under the influence.

There are slippery issues however that remain unaddressed by the DOT regulations when it comes to relationships with subordinates. In fact, the DOT can't touch these issues.

Let's discuss one: Dual and inappropriate relationships.

Required under federal law, DOT Reasonable Suspicion Training mandates that certain employers involved in transportation-related fields train their supervisors in identifying the signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol use and abuse.

When a company implements a Reasonable Suspicion Program it is important that the supervisor feels confident and comfortable in their role. This type of training only increases the safety of a company’s work-site, of their workforce, and the public.

But what about the DOT supervisor who has been trained in Reasonable Suspicion training who also drinks with an employee during or after work hours?

A DOT supervisor is a professional. Inherent in their supervisory role is a professional relationship with the DOT employees he or she supervises. Sounds simple enough and straight forward.
Supervisors are also humans, prone toward social connections, as are employees. In fact, most professional supervisory – employee relationships benefit from strong supervisor-employee connections. When a supervisor takes a personal interest in their employees’ lives outside the workplace, employees typically demonstrate positive behaviors.

Positive workplace behaviors associated with healthy supervisor-employee connections include:

· Strengthened workplace connections
· Higher commitment/ lower turn-over and increased loyalty
· Increased productivity and efficiency
· Higher motivation
· Improved self- regulation and self-awareness
· Decreased tardiness and sick days

However, many employees who struggle with substance abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, will abuse on the job and/off the job as well. The issues are compounded when a DOT supervisor socializes with those employees during or after work where drinking or drugging is involved.

Supervisors often are the first line of defense against substance abuse in the workplace. It can be difficult to approach an employee under reasonable suspicion as addiction can cause people to behave in unpredictable ways.

Some employees may make excuses or try to manipulate supervisors to get out of the situation, or even implicate the supervisor who partied with them. In some rare instances, employees may become violent when their addiction is brought to light when confronted with substance abuse on the job.

 When the supervisor is a drinking buddy as well, you can see where a blurring of lines complicates things. The professional line between supervisor and employee is now a narrow thin line. What would once be clear protocols for documentation, confrontation and reporting are now personal and can be awkward.

When a DOT supervisor steps from supervisor role into a social drinking role and where that employee is suspected of behaviors and activities of abuse, the supervisor is enabling. He or she inadvertently undermines the DOT Reasonable Suspicion Program. When supervisors or upper management participates in drinking, on the job or off, with their employees, they reinforce an acceptance of a workplace culture tolerant of substance abuse.

What are the costs of blurred professional roles between DOT supervisors and employees?

When an employee with a substance abuse problem is not identified, reported and provided appropriate supports, the bottom-line impact for the DOT and others is far reaching:

· The DOT cost of diverting company resources
· Cost associated with medical and social problems of the employee and family members
· Liability of impaired job performance threatens the safety and health of the employee(s) 

      and the public – increased risk and exposure
· Increased risk of accidents both on and off the job
· Poor job performance
· Decreased efficiency, problem solving, and decision making leading to more complex issues
· Theft
· Increased sick time and three times as many tardy days; lower productivity; sleeping on the job
· Five times more likely to file a worker's compensation claim
· Increased likelihood of relationship problems with co-workers, friends and family
· Employee financial problems
· Mood and behavior instability
· Potential for violence
· Public image damage
· Increased risk of lawsuits

"How do I connect with my employees without socializing where alcohol or other substances involved?"

Twenty three percent of upper management and eleven percent of first line supervisors reported having a drink during the work day, compared to eight percent of hourly employees. Supervisors and upper management should inspire healthy work and personal behaviors by setting standards and create a work culture that does not endorse substance use or abuse. DOT supervisors have a day to day responsibility to model healthy behaviors and to monitor employees of the same.

When DOT supervisors set healthy boundaries that establish clear professional relationships that also foster work place personal rapport and trust, professional boundaries are established and maintained. Without healthy professional boundaries, confronting a DOT employee who is suspected of abusing substances can become complicated, personal and difficult to address.

In short, the supervisor may become a part of the problem itself.

It’s fine to occasionally socialize with the team so they’ll see you as a human being and to meet their families. Socializing for drinks after work or during work though is a big No, filled with potential pitfalls and conflict of interest. Employees still need to respect you as a leader who makes tough decisions when you need to. There’s a risk of being too cozy with an employee whom you may need to report, review, or even terminate. You may miss out on some of the fun, but it is going to be a lot easier to be a manager when the time comes if the lines aren’t blurred and a level of professionalism is maintained.

DOT supervisors must first:

· Ensure that everyone in the workplace understands that a drug-free workplace is more likely to be a safe, healthy, and productive workplace

 

· Inform everyone in the workplace about the specifics of the policy and about available strategies and programs that support a drug-free workplace, health, and wellness

 

· Motivate their employees to support the policy

 

· Develop a process to continually review and update the drug-free workplace policy and the strategies and programs that support a drug-free workplace, health, and wellness

 

· Make available strategies and programs that support a drug-free workplace, health, and wellness

 

· Create a shared sense of responsibility for the success of a drug-free workplace policy and the strategies and programs that support a drug-free workplace, health, and wellness
Supervisors should consider workplace programs and activities that create a culture to include leadership style, management practices, social supports, employee autonomy and control, and work organization that encourages healthy work and life style behaviors.

Supervisors must understand and follow the DOT Reasonable Suspicion Policy:

 

· Understand Company Policy Ensure the company has a written drug and alcohol testing policy that includes guidance for cases of reasonable suspicion. This protects the employee and the employer. It also is imperative that all supervisors and managers receive reasonable suspicion training

 

· Collect Documentation If an employee is suspected of substance abuse on the job, document evidence to support the claim before approaching under reasonable suspicion. Documentation includes complaints or concerns from coworkers and patterns of behavior such as excessive tardiness or extreme changes in behavior or mood

· Observe Reported Behaviors At least two managers/supervisors should observe and confirm any reported behaviors and document them in detail. Reference any unusual behaviors or warning signs of substance abuse. If an employee is observed behaving in such a way that would jeopardize their safety or that of their coworkers, they should immediately be removed from their duties

Creating and maintaining clear professional boundaries is best practice for supervisors. If and when the time comes to confront an employee for suspected substance abuse, the supervisor will be less likely to enable the employee suspected of addiction by acting more as a “friend” than as a

supervisor. As people we often feel we are helping someone when we offer “support” or advise and naively think we are resolving the issue. Keeping the relationship professional reduces complications and protects the well-being of everyone involved.

Get your supervisors trained in alcohol and drug awareness, especially those who are regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation because they are in safety-sensitive positions.

by Toni Burns, contributing author

How DOT Supervisors Become Drug and Alcohol Enablers Despite Their Training

We sometimes think of concepts like "enabling" as clear cut and unambiguous. If we help someone to purchase or access drugs and alcohol, we are enabling. If we help someone to make excuses for their substance abuse, we are enabling. If we steer someone towards risky behavior, we are enabling.
If we are Department of Transportation supervisors implementing the Reasonable Suspicion training we have received in a professional capacity, then, surely, we are not enabling. Instead, we are actively making a positive difference.
But is this necessarily the case? In many instances, it might be the opposite. Sure, supervisors carry out an important role, and the DOT Reasonable Suspicion policy can certainly be a force for good, but we must still tread carefully. A DOT supervisor can still be an enabler and can still promote the very risky behaviors they are intending to control.
Let's explore how and why this happens.

Enabling is a path of least resistance

Most of us human beings, in our default setting, do not like confrontation. We may find ourselves in situations in which confrontation is necessary — perhaps when we do our duty as parents or when we take on any other role with an element of responsibility — but, for the most part, we would rather not explore that side of our personalities.
This is why, whether we mean to or not, we often find ourselves on the path of least resistance — i.e., taking the route with the least friction, the least trouble, and the least chance of confrontation. When we start to factor in something as mind-altering and as potentially volatile as drug or alcohol abuse, that path of least resistance becomes all the more attractive.
So, we may choose to passively enable our friends simply because it is the easiest option. We may find ourselves nodding in tacit agreement, shrugging, and explaining things away even though we know we should be stepping in and taking action. And why? Because we don't want our friends to get upset, and we don't want to destroy our relationship.
We may even start to doubt ourselves. Maybe that one drink is okay, maybe she can handle it. Maybe that one line at that one party is okay and won't send him into a spiral. Once this doubt creeps in, it can become difficult to know what to do. This is basic human psychology, but it's very powerful.

Professional relationships are often more than that

Of course, we have lapsed into discussing relationships between personal friends. A DOT supervisor is a professional, and as such, they have a professional relationship with the people they are supervising. There is a clear distinction.
Except, is this distinction really so clear?
Americans work, on average, 34.4 hours a week , with many of us working far more. Work is such a crucial part of all our lives that, by extension, the people we work with also become critical. Employers understand the value of an engaged and connected workforce, and they encourage personal relationships as a way of nurturing productivity .
With this in mind, it's easy to see why the boundaries can become blurred. A DOT supervisor may not even notice the friendship developing until it begins to hinder the duties of their role.

Beginning a cycle of enabling

This is how the cycle of enabling begins. It may become clear that a colleague has a problem, but those who could make a difference grow too close to that colleague to effectively make a difference. Excuses, doubts, and false rationalization all begin to creep in, and the colleague's addiction and pattern of risky behaviors go unchecked.
This cycle is reinforced by another aspect: false positivity. We may feel that extreme actions, such as disciplinary procedures, are too "harsh", even though they will in fact help the colleague who is struggling, especially in the long term. We may instead fall into a process of "helping" — i.e., offering our support and guidance to our colleague and friend, all the while propping up their addiction without providing any meaningful intervention.
In effect, we become complicit in their actions and may find ourselves directly or indirectly responsible for any of the negative results that follow. Handouts and tip sheets provided to DOT supervisors being educated in reasonable suspicion can help get this complicated points across.
Acting as a DOT supervisor involves a difficult negotiation. It involves looking at the bigger picture, stepping outside of our personal and professional relationships, and deciding on a course of action that protects the health, safety, and well-being of all. In many cases, this will include going against our inherent human nature, seeking confrontations with positive outcomes, and pursuing a path of change and growth, no matter how difficult that path may be.


Preview the full DOT Reasonable Suspicion Training Web Course or other formats here.

Reasonable Suspicion Training for DOT Supervisor Drug and Alcohol Awareness Education for Mandatory Compliance for the Drug Free Workplace

Observing employees on the job and spotting the signs and symptoms of possible

impairment that could result from use of alcohol or other drugs is a legitimate concern of business.

A reasonable suspicion checklist that includes a comprehensive listing of possible warning signs and symptoms can help you decide whether to act in accordance with your organization’s reasonable suspicion testing and drug-free workplace policy.

It can also aid you in constructing documentation that is effective and useful. But a list is only half the help you need. The rest is a comprehensive discussion of what all these signs and symptom mean, how to document them properly, what your own myths and misconceptions are about addiction and substance abuse, sub-questions to consider in gathering information, and adopting a mindset that will help you assemble documentation that useful for its administrative purposes, whatever those might be.

When can reasonable suspicion be substantiated? Reasonable suspicion that an employee is using alcohol or other drugs exists when “specific, contemporaneous, “articulable” (able to clearly describe and quantify with senses) observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech, or body odors of the employee demonstrate the possible use of substances.”

Let’s Hit Every Sign and Symptom from a Checklist for DOT Reasonable Suspicion Training

Employee stumbles and staggers….

When employees stumble or stagger, such a condition represents an unusual level of intoxication resulting from the use of psychoactive substances that also affect psychomotor skills. But not so fast! Most DOT supervisors might think that this is an alcoholic symptom. Most alcoholics on the job never drink so much that the stumble. Because their tolerance is so high, they can drink the amount of alcohol that would cause a non-alcoholic to stumble.

When it comes to an employee who is drunk and stumbling, typically they will be young men who have been drinking alcohol at some social event, party, or reunion. Such a person needs referral, but in most cases—in my experience—these are alcohol assessment and alcohol/drug education referrals, not treatment referrals.

Many alcoholics or drug addicted person can consume psychoactive substances that affect mood and visual or auditory senses, but addicts who have consumed enough of substance that even tolerance does not prevent them from being spotted, is indeed remarkable. Most substance abusing employees do not want to stagger, so doing so means they are out of control.

When your employee stumbles should be recorded. Also record what he or she was doing at the time of observing the stumbling. Also record where they were when the stumbling and staggering occurred, and how you were able to see this behavioral symptom happen.