Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace

Revised January 2011; Updated November 2012

While at work, all university employees have the responsibility to perform their jobs in a safe, conscientious, and effective manner and in compliance with university policy and state and federal laws. In order to do this employees must be able to work in a drug and alcohol-free environment and themselves be free from the effects of drugs and alcohol. Accordingly,

  1. The manufacture, sale, possession, or use by an employee in the workplace of a controlled substance or drug that is illegal under state or federal law is strictly prohibited. The phrase “use” means any detectible level of that substance in the employee’s system;
  2. The manufacture, being under the influence of or use by an employee in the workplace of alcohol is strictly prohibited, except as permitted by this policy;
  3. The use by an employee of a controlled substance or drug with a lawful prescription may be prohibited if such use affects job performance or poses a hazard to the safety and welfare of the employee, or other employees, is strictly prohibited; and
  4. An employee is required to report his/her criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace to his/her immediate supervisor within five (5) days after such conviction.

The university will impose disciplinary sanctions (consistent with local, state and federal law) on employees who violate the drug and alcohol-free workplace policy. Sanctions may include any of the following, depending on the severity of the incident: oral and written warnings, placement on probation, suspension from employment, successful completion of a treatment/counseling program, termination, and referral for prosecution. PLU reserves the right to conduct an individual drug test where there is reasonable suspicion that an employee may be under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol or following a job related accident or injury.

Furthermore, each employee who observes or has knowledge of other employees in a condition which affects their ability to perform job duties or poses a hazard to the safety and welfare of others is expected to report such conditions promptly to the immediate supervisor, the next higher-level supervisor, a university officer, or Human Resources.

On occasions, PLU serves alcohol at social or other University sponsored events. The prohibitions in this policy do not apply to the possession or moderate consumption of alcohol when alcohol is served by the University at a University sponsored event to which the employee has been invited. Employees are reminded that any consumption of alcohol at such an event should be moderate, should not result in the employee becoming intoxicated and that normal expectation of appropriate workplace behavior continue at such events.

The university takes its commitment to provide a drug and alcohol-free working environment seriously. All employees who suspect they may have a drug, substance or alcohol abuse problem are encouraged to seek assistance through their own efforts before the problem affects their employment status. To comply with the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989, Human Resources, Health Services, Residential Life Office, and the Counseling Center maintain a list of agencies, which provide rehabilitative and counseling services. Requests for information and/or referral sources will be treated confidentially.