DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
The term drug or drugs as used in this policy does not include prescription
medicine prescribed for the employee by a physician and used as prescribed by
the employee. Employees are prohibited from furnishing or selling prescription
medicines.
Employees of Beals School Department are prohibited from attending their place
of work while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and are prohibited from
drinking alcohol, using drugs or possessing alcohol or drugs while in their
place of employment, in school, on school grounds, on the school bus or at
school functions.
Employees of Beals School Department are required to notify the administration
in writing of their conviction(s) for a violation of a criminal drug statute
occurring in the workplace no later than five calendar days after such
conviction(s).
All employees are prohibited from furnishing/selling alcohol or drugs to
students or minors at any time or location.
A. Self-Reported Alcohol and/or Drug Problems
1. If an employee seeks help, the primary role of the
Administrator who received the request is to
direct the person to the appropriate
resource for help. The following steps should be included in
the process:
a. The employee will be referred
directly to a mutually agreed upon substance abuse counselor
and the
Superintendent will be informed.
b. The employee will meet with the
substance abuse counselor and those other concerned
individuals
whom the counselor and employee feel appropriate to have present. The purpose of
the meeting
is to assess the nature and severity of the substance abuse and related
problems.
The meeting
should result in an initial treatment plan agreed to by all parties who are to
be
involved.
2. Beals School Department will cooperate with staff members
who readily admit they have a
substance abuse problem and willingly
seek treatment. After the individual enters treatment and so
long as he/she continues to make
progress with the treatment plan, every effort will be made to
support and encourage the individual.
3. When the employee refuses help, the Superintendent will
consider the appropriate action in
consultation with the Board after
obtaining legal advice.
B. Suspected or Confirmed Substance Use/Abuse
1. When substance use/ abuse by an employee is reported to
the school administration which
involves a violation of school policy
or affects the performance of the individual at his/her job in the
school system, school officials shall
attempt to find out as many facts as possible to ascertain the
reliability of the report. If the
information is believed to be true no matter what other action is
taken, the administration will offer
to contact and arrange for the staff member to meet with a
substance abuse counselor to arrange
for treatment. The administration and counselor may agree
that the violation does not merit a
hearing, suspension of the staff member or dismissal. They may
wish to follow the procedure as
outlined in A(1b) and A(2). If the violation is deemed to be
serious enough to merit it, the
Superintendent may elect to inform the Board which will determine if
further action is necessary. When the
employee refuses help, the Superintendent will consider the
appropriate action in consultation
with the Board after obtaining legal advice.
2. The following appropriate steps will be taken when an
employee appears on the job with the
physical signs of intoxication:
a. The employee shall be transported
to a safe environment immediately by the appropriate
supervisor or
designee. Such an incident will result in disciplinary action i.e., oral
reprimand,
written
reprimand, suspension without pay for the remainder of that day and one more
calendar
day.
b. If upon returning to the job, the
employee willingly discusses the nature and extent of the
problem and
agrees to seek appropriate treatment, then the appropriate school officials
shall
proceed
according to the policy outlined under self-reported alcohol/ drug problems.
c. If upon returning to the job, the
employee denies any problem or any responsibility for
substance
use/abuse, then the Superintendent shall initiate proceedings according to the
following:
(1) The
employee shall receive written notice to appear before the Superintendent with
the
reasons for the meeting outlined in the letter. The employee has right to be
represented by
the local association/by legal council.
(2) If it is
determined that the employee’s substance use/abuse poses a danger to
students/himself or herself/other staff members, the employee will be suspended
until the
next Board meeting pending a hearing with the Board. After hearing the case, the
Board
may dismiss or reinstate the employee.
C. Recurrence
1. Second occurrence – The Superintendent will consult with
the employee’s substance abuse
counselor to ascertain the chances
for treatment success and so inform the Board. Those who
refuse help will be immediately
suspended without pay upon legal advice and the Superintendent
will begin hearing procedures with
the Board.
2. Third occurrence – The employee will be suspended without
pay or benefits. Further action by the
Superintendent and the Board may
result after consultation with legal counsel.
D. Treatment
An employee who is in treatment may use accumulated sick leave during this time.
The cost of treatment is the responsibility of the employee involved and may be
covered under the individual’s health insurance policy. The following is a list
of some of the local resources where treatment may be sought:
Community Health and Counseling Services
Machias, ME
Tel. No. 255-8311
Families United of Washington County
Machias, ME
Tel. No. 255-3000
Harrington Family Health Center
Harrington, ME
Tel. No. 483-4502
Down East Community Hospital
Machias, ME
Tel. No. 255-3356
Local AA Groups and Al-Anon Groups
A copy of this policy will be given or mailed to all current employees and
any new employees at the time of their employment.
DATE ADOPTED: July 1, 2003