Compliance Stuff

Life is full of challenges, both welcome and unwelcome. One of the most difficult may well be trying to help a friend, loved one, or family member who clearly needs some sort of assistance but may not be willing to admit they have issues to be addressed. If it's in their best interests, do you have the legal right to bypass their lack of consent and place them in a mental health treatment program or a drug rehabilitation center? As you might imagine, the answer is complicated.  Extremely  complicated. Each situation is different and will depend on the person's age, where they live, and the type of issue involved. If a crime is involved, the courts may take the choice out of your hands through involuntary commitment or  drug court  for substance abuse addiction treatment. Mental health issues and addiction problems can destroy lives and tear families apart. Wanting to help a friend's well-being by getting them into detox or a behavioral health facility is natural, bu...

Sober up, folks! Here we go. With the legalization of marijuana and cannabis products in so many states, dealing with substance abuse in the workplace has become ridiculously complicated. NEED A DRINK? This is the first of a two-part post. Today, I'll share with you five "fun" facts about drugs and alcohol in the workplace. Next week, I'll post about how employers can or should put it all together. Fun Fact No. 1: It's ok to ban illegal drugs.  In the immortal words of  South Park 's Mr. Mackey, "Drugs are bad. Don't use drugs, m'kay?"* *I could not provide a link because everything I found was Not Suitable for Work. Over the long weekend, you can do a search on your personal device.  :-) Employers can generally test employees "without cause" for illegal drugs. In other words, they can do random, universal, or post-offer testing. If you are in a state where marijuana is still illegal and if you're a private sector employer, y...