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.

Employee Blackouts on the Job: Oh Yeah, They Happen

They are called Aviation Medical Examiners. And they work for the federal government. More precisely, they are internists and addiction medicine physicians who are frequently members of the American Medical Society on Addiction Medicine, and their job is to follow alcoholic airline pilots. I know, you never thought about how many alcoholic airline pilots there might be right, right? There are thousands of them. And they still fly plane's loads of passengers. In 1984, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration was following over 1500 such alcoholic (abstinent, sober alcoholics) pilots. There are alcoholic pilots caught drinking while flying or under other illegal circumstances. Guess what. They must all attend Alcoholics Anonymous after treatment because it works. They have no choice if they want to keep their jobs. And they must be sober two years before they can fly again. Can you think of a better reason to go? All of this is to say, that if recovery from alcoholism did not work, there would be no recovering alcoholic airline pilots still flying. Do they relapse? Yes. The success rate however approaches 90%. I know all of this of course because I interview the had Aviation Medical Examiner. Did you know that there have been recorded incidents of alcoholic airline pilots flying in blackouts? Yep, they did not remember flying from point A to point B. Blackouts (a hallmark sign of possible alcoholism) demonstrates the nervous system’s adaptation and tolerance to alcohol. A blackout is a short-term amnesia state characterized the inability to recall what happened during a period of drinking even though one did not pass out or fall asleep.  It is rare for a non-alcoholic to have a blackout.  Most social drinkers will pass out, fall asleep, or throw up before having a blackout. Someday you may have an employee sitting in front of you who is in a blackout. Scary stuff. DOT Supervisor Training typically omits these fascinating discussions about blackouts, but frankly if the reasonable suspicion training program you face does not address it, you will bewildered about what to do.

Don't Get "Tripped Up" as a DOT Supervisor

Someday you are going to confront an employee who has alcohol on his or her breath. You will use this as evidence that the employee may be under the influence. No problem, until the employee tells you rather convincingly, that he or she is entering an alcoholism treatment program today, and the treatment program told the employee not to stop drinking because the withdrawal will make it more difficult for them to do a proper detox. Guess what. This is exactly what treatment programs do. And it is perfectly medically valid. So you may say, whew, wipe your brow, and decide that there is no need to make a big stink out of the alcohol on the employee’s breath. There is only one catch. A treatment program would never say to continue going to work drinking, and even if it did, it makes no difference. Send the employee to testing. Never assume an alcohol or drug problem is properly treated simply because the employee reports having quit is entering treatment. There is a difference between self-imposed abstinence and understanding how to manage addictive disease properly using an applied daily program of recovery recommended by addiction specialists. DOT Supervisor Training often comes up short on explaining these small nuances, but now you know! And it is difficult to include every small nuance in reasonable suspicion training, but this is one I thought you might find interesting

The Eyes and Ears of Supervisors Are Employees in Acting On Reasonable Suspicion

Sorry to say it, but it's true. Employees are key in reasonable suspicion training, so they need employee awareness training in substance abuse.

Reasonable suspicion training includes education for supervisors about the signs and symptoms of possible drug or alcohol use on the job. This education is crucial, but here is the truth. Employees should also be educated. They are on the front lines in the fight against workplace substance abuse. They point to problems so supervisors can act. The problem getting in the way is enabling.

Although the federal regulations say nothing for the most part about employees being educated about drugs and alcohol on the job and the various signs and symptoms that demonstrate potential use, coworkers are by default, the eyes and ears of the supervisor. Don't get me wrong. This is not their job, and training should never include any direction or guidance or even suggest that they should be the eyes and ears of the supervisor, but guess what: They are. That's the reality.

This happens by employees recognizing that something is wrong or knowing something associated with drug and alcohol use on the job is occurring, and then informing the supervisor who takes the proper action. If you do not educate employees as part of the reasonable suspicion training curriculum at least to the extent that they will stop enabling their fellow coworkers, then it is unlikely that you will obtain the impact you want from your DOT reasonable suspicion training of supervisors.

DOT Supervisor Training and Reasonable Suspicion Training should discuss the following enabling behaviors. These are the most common enabling behaviors of employees that will undermine your drug free workplace. Can you think of any others to include in your reasonable suspicion training for supervisors? 1) Accepting apologies and assurances for the temporary nature of problems. 2) Failing to confront problems caused by absenteeism and tardiness. 3) Doing the job of coworker.  Feeling sorry for coworker. 4) Caring and understanding “too much.” 5) Failing to confront drinking practices for fear of losing a friend.  6) Considering coworker a “functional alcoholic” who doesn’t affect you (yet.) 7) Protecting a coworker from management. 8) Promising to confront coworker if problems gets worse, and then adapting to “worse”, and not confronting coworker. 9) “Working around” the personality or drinking pattern of the alcoholic in order to have a functional relationship (i.e., anticipating mood swings, irritability in work interactions.) 9) Loaning large amounts of money. You can get a handout that includes these items in the DOT reasonable suspicion training program avialable in PowerPoint, DVD, Video, or online web course for reasonable suspicion training online.