Complying With the ADA When Managing Employees With Alcoholism
Employers sometimes encounter intoxicated employees at work, but there are some compliance challenges under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when managing employees with alcoholism. Quick Hits Alcoholism may be considered a disability under the ADA. Employers may be required to offer reasonable accommodations to workers with alcoholism. Employers do not have to permit workers to drink alcohol at work or be impaired during working hours. The National Institutes of Health defines alcohol use disorder as “a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.” About 29 million Americans age twelve and over had alcohol use disorder in 2023, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism . Some workers with alcoholism qualify for protections under the ADA. Workers may qualify for ADA protections if they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limi...