Alcohol and drug misuse
Some employers reserve the right to carry out random drug and alcohol tests on employees, particularly in safety-critical industries.
Employers that wish to test staff for drugs and alcohol should clearly and unambiguously reserve the right to do so in their contracts of employment. There should also be in place a clear policy on drug and alcohol testing, setting out when and how testing will be carried out, who will carry out the testing and what will be done with the results of any tests.
Veterans to get specialist NHS mental health and rehab support
Armed forces’ veterans suffering mental ill health will now be able to get specialist mental health and rehabilitation support, NHS...
Employee who took cannabis for back pain unfairly dismissed
Employment tribunal finds that an employer did not take into account an employee’s medical reasons for taking cannabis before dismissing him.
CPD: Supporting an employee living with an alcohol problem
Occupational health can play a pivotal leadership role when it comes to supporting an employee struggling with alcohol or substance...
Alcohol misuse deaths hit record high
The number of deaths in England and Wales directly related to alcohol misuse hit a record high in the first...
Study finds link between daily alcohol consumption and irregular heart rhythm
Just half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine a day can increase the risk of irregular...
Nine in 10 home workers drinking alcohol on the job
Nine out of 10 people have admitted to drinking alcohol while working from home this year – a statistic that...
Two in five senior leaders using drugs or alcohol to alleviate Covid-19 worries
Two in five (38%) business leaders in the UK have turned to alcohol or drugs to cope with mental ill...
Second lockdown could fuel problem drinking, warns charity
This month’s second national lockdown in England could fuel a wave of alcohol-related health problems, a charity has warned.
Lords probing how Covid-19 shift to digital is affecting our wellbeing
The House of Lords’ Covid-19 committee has launched an inquiry into how the increased digitalisation of our work and personal...
Occupational Health & Wellbeing research round-up: September 2020
Fifth of doctors consume “potentially hazardous” levels of alcohol
Twenty per cent of doctors in a survey of 109 working...
Drug and alcohol abuse ‘a health concern, not just disciplinary issue’
CIPD: need for investment in training, support programmes and access to occupational health advice around drug and alcohol misuse is greater than ever.
Test employees for illegal drug use, urges Tory mayor candidate
Shaun Bailey called for every business in the capital with more than 250 employees to routinely check workers for illegal substance use.
Putting workplace drug and alcohol testing in the spotlight
How effective is random drug and alcohol testing, especially outside the safety-critical environment? And with cannabis oils now complicating the...
One in four turns to alcohol to cope with work pressure, especially when working from home
Employees are more likely to turn to alcohol when experiencing work-related stress at home than switch off their work phone,...
Smokers urged to quit to reduce risk of coronavirus complications
Smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should be urged to stop smoking immediately or risk complications if they contract...
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