Employee Signed Off, but really...?!

stardust09

My first thought is whether you have any occupational health or insurance in place which can offer the employee some counselling to help them deal with the problems which are causing the drinking and depression in the first place?

Rather than trying to reach a judgement about the behaviour, maybe consider that this is only way the employee feels they can cope at the moment. Even when on one level we know our coping mechanisms are only a short-term fix and a long-term problem, it doesn't mean we can stop doing them, especially if struggling with depression.

phill99

Bottom line is you are running a business. You are not a charity nor are you a counselling service or a social worker.

If you allow this to carry on you are at major risk of alienating the rest of your staff who could simply vote with their feet. Loose another member of staff and you will be shafted and your business will really suffer.

You need to cut your losses now and let her go. That will allow you to recruit a new member of staff and win back your existing staff.

Takeaway_Addict

phill99 wrote: »

Bottom line is you are running a business. You are not a charity nor are you a counselling service or a social worker.

If you allow this to carry on you are at major risk of alienating the rest of your staff who could simply vote with their feet. Loose another member of staff and you will be shafted and your business will really suffer.

You need to cut your losses now and let her go. That will allow you to recruit a new member of staff and win back your existing staff.

Yes and No, not necessarily getting rid of an employee just like that but the OP does need to be making the sounds that they are dealing with this proactively.

Opinion

Again, thank you for all the replies.

More than that, thank you to everyone for sticking on topic and not flaming everyone else.

Savvy_Sue

You need proper professional HR advice. If you don't already have a policy about drinking at work / before work you need one urgently. Including drugs would probably be a good idea: I believe I have to tell my manager if I'm taking prescription drugs which might affect my performance, and I can't drink at work or arrive under the influence.

I've vomited at work, but not because I was drunk, nor was it in the corner of the office. In the context of a bar I'd call vomiting in the corner gross misconduct, on or off duty. But I'd strongly advice paying for advice.

notanewuser

"Depression" is often used on sick/fit notes in place of "alcoholism".

Just sayin'.

Opinion

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

You need proper professional HR advice. If you don't already have a policy about drinking at work / before work you need one urgently. Including drugs would probably be a good idea: I believe I have to tell my manager if I'm taking prescription drugs which might affect my performance, and I can't drink at work or arrive under the influence.

I've vomited at work, but not because I was drunk, nor was it in the corner of the office. In the context of a bar I'd call vomiting in the corner gross misconduct, on or off duty. But I'd strongly advice paying for advice.

We have a policy about drinking during/before work, same goes for drugs- impossible not to in the industry. As a small business we don't, however, have a written policy regarding staff drinking while off sick... that's the issue here, not the drinking alone, per se.

ohreally

Op, you may be shrewd to engage the services of an occupational health provider before taking a decision which turns out to be costly at some point in the future.

Mistral001

I would not assume that just because you want to help this employee, that you will be always behaving as a good employer. As others have said I would see an HR consultant.

pleasedelete

I would think that getting so drunk that you throw up in your workplace (even if not at work) is gross misconduct /bringing the business into disrepute and you could sack instantly.