NXG Drug Policy

Purpose

NXG has an outstanding reputation and legal compliance with the Drug-Free Act of 1988. The organization is a juice manufacturing company, and hence, heavy equipment is used. The company strictly prohibits the use of drugs and alcohol in and out of the workplace as long as an employee is conducting company business. The use of drugs is dangerous to oneself and poses a significant risk to the company’s employees as well as assets owned by the organization. For the above reasons, NXG is committed to the complete elimination of drugs in the workplace for a conducive and sustainable working environment.

Scope

The recent developments surrounding some employees testing positive after a drug test after a business trip to Denver have contributed heavily to the development of this policy. Within the plan, one can find all the company’s requirements, rules, and procedures to get used to safeguard itself as well as the labor force. The policy is applicable and enforceable to all employees and those who will be hired in the future. The exercise of drafting the policy was conducted by the human resources department led by Mr. Jacobs Reed. Also, it involved a lot of consultation, and each one of the employees was given a chance to provide feedback, and the team made the needed changes.

Substance Abuse Effects

Drugs have adverse effects on the health of an individual, both physically and mentally. The excessive use of a drug such as marijuana messes with one’s thinking and reduces one’s capability of conducting any given task. Moreover, its use brings about anxiety and paranoia in an individual. The human resources department has prepared a template that will be available at all times to all employees who seek to know about the consequences of drug abuse (Bush, 2014). Moreover, those who are suffering from addiction will be recommended to the relevant health professionals for proper rehabilitation, and the company fund will cover the process of the drug rehabilitation program.

Employee Assistance

NXG is dedicated to the full rehabilitation of employees suffering from substance addiction as long as they voluntarily seek help. The company came up with a drug rehabilitation fund that will be funded by a non-governmental firm, our client. The firm offered to offer drug rehabilitation services for our employees for free if asked for assistance. The employee will be given a leave of absence until the end of the program. The employee would be required to show that they are adhering to the prescribed guidelines before getting integrated back into the workplace. However, forfeiting the chance to volunteer the above terms will not apply. In case one fails a drug test, the employee will be subject to punishment rendered to be sufficient by the investigation board, which may include no paid leave or termination of the employment contract for a repeat offender.

The organization doesn’t have any problem with the taking of prescription drugs as long as the employee has sufficient knowledge of their impact. The employee should ask his or her physicians about the effect of the drugs on his or her productivity before taking the prescribed pills. The HR department should also be informed of their use and made aware of their effect to prevent future issues.

Rules And Regulations

• NXG will not permit employees on prescription drugs to carry out heavy tasks such as the running of heavy equipment because of the danger that it poses to their colleagues. The prescribed medications should be well-labeled and directed by a registered physician. The company has a right to demand the inspection of the drugs by our officers for verification(Pidd,2014)
• Employees are banned from conducting company business both in and out of the office if they are under the influence of any illegal drug. Moreover, they are prohibited from using, buying, or selling illegal drugs.
• The presence of any illicit drugs after a test is strictly forbidden at the workplace.
• The company reserves the right to turn over drug paraphernalia to the relevant authorities if an employee is found in possession of any illegal drugs.
• An employee caught in possession or use of illegal drugs outside the marketplace will be liable for his or her own mistakes and should not involve the organization. Such liability lies with the employee alone.

Procedures For Testing

Pre-employment testing

The HR department has the right to inform job applicants of a mandatory drug test before signing an employment contract. Full employment status will only be attained after passing the test and signing the drug policy failure, which will lead to automatic disqualification. Issues may arise in the case of marijuana due to its legality in the various states in which we operate. However, the company still maintains its position on the prohibition of drugs in the workplace for tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana.

Right to testing at any given time

If a supervisor suspects an employee to be on drugs other than prescription medicine, they had the right and mandated to direct the employee to drug testing by the company doctor(Bush,2014). The drug test will be conducted at a given time as desired by the relevant authorities. However, the supervising officers must have a detailed report containing information about the behavior of an employee over a specified period of no less than a week. The employee should be accompanied by the supervisor or a union rep for those part of the labor union to the physician for testing, refusal to undergo the drug test when required will mean acceptance to having used illegal drugs, and thus appropriate measures will be taken. The employee will also need to leave the workplace so as not to endanger others.

Post-accident inquiries

An accident that occurs within the company’s premises or company property, such as cars, will require a thorough investigation. The person responsible will have to undergo a drug test in no sooner than two hours, depending on their condition. If established not to be caused by any drug influence, the employee can be absolved of all blame, but an independent investigation will be undertaken. In case the test results come back positive for marijuana or any other drug, the employee will be immediately terminated and required to compensate for the damage or injuries to others. Such a case needs strict punishment because of the heavy machinery that is involved in our manufacturing process, and thus, any wrong move can result in life-threatening injuries or even death.

Post-test follow up

Employees found to have contravened the rules on the drug policy as given above will be subjected to any decision deemed fit by the management. An employee who undergoes the rehabilitation program will still be tested for drugs for at least six months. Employees who fail to complete the rehabilitation programs and fail the following drug test will be let go immediately.

Drug Test Collection And Procedures

The company has a partnership with the New Light Hospital, which provides health services to most of our employees. Therefore, the tests will only be done at the hospital. The employee or job applicant will have the required privacy to provide the urine samples (Pidd, 2014). The doctor in charge will be responsible for carrying out the tests, and if they come back positive, the employee can suggest the use of another medical facility. Previously, our drug policy did not account for this, and after the recent cases of inconclusive results for three employees, the second test will also be mandatory for proper confirmation. The drug to be tested has to be indicated by the reporting supervisor, and the doctor reserves the right to examine for other illegal drugs if necessary.

Consequences Due To Positive Drug Tests

• Applicants will be immediately denied employment if they fail the drug test.
• Employees will be subject to any punishment deemed best by the management. Such penalties may include termination or temporary leave to attend a rehabilitation program.
• Employees will be sent on leave while awaiting the results of a test. When the results are found to be negative, he or she will receive full compensation for the days wasted.

Confidentiality

All information about drug tests will be confidential and can only be reviewed by the management. The company will protect any employee from victimization by conducting the exercise in privacy. The information will only be available to management and can only be acquired by third parties through a court order.

Criminal Activities Within The Work Premises

NXG will not be held responsible for any employee conducting illegal drug operations within the industry. Company resources should also not be used for such illegal activities. Any employee who reports any such actions will be well protected, and their identity will be well hidden. The labor force is also banned from misuse of prescribed drugs within the company premises. NXG does not wish to intrude on our employee’s lives, but anyone caught trading or taking illegal drugs by the police has a direct impact on the organization’s image. Therefore, the company reserves the right to take disciplinary action if an employee does not report such an altercation with the law. The organization will terminate the employee’s contract.

Enforcement

The HR department will be tasked with the implementation of the policy, and all employees should adhere to any instructions provided by the HR manager.

Definitions

• Illegal drugs- illegal drugs refer to drugs that are prohibited by the law for sale or use. They mainly include heroin, cocaine, and marijuana in some states.
• Refusal to cooperate- The term refers to the obstruction to taking part in a test when required and tampering with samples. Moreover, in the case of an accident and an employee leaves the scene, it will be deemed a refusal to cooperate, and appropriate action will be taken.