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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05071991 - IO.2 I.O.-2 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra _f FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE / Costa n. i5 4° April 22, 1991 �o.= :-_ ..�4�' County DATE: rpq_coi K REPORT ON IMPLEME11TATION OF THE DRUG—FREE WORKPLACE POLICY IN SUBJECT: COUNTY GOVERNMENT SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECONNENDATIONS: 1. Express the Board' s appreciation to the Director of Personnel and his staff for the manner in which the Drug-Free Workplace Policy has been implemented in County government. 2 . Adopt as a statement of policy that the Board of Supervisors opposes the consumption of alcoholic beverages by County employees at anytime during the work day, including during the lunch hour or other meal period. 3 . Request the Director of Personnel to determine from County Counsel how far the Board of Supervisors can go in prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs during the work day, including meal periods. 4. Based on advice from County Counsel, request the Director of Personnel to return to our Committee on June 24, 1991 with a policy statement which goes as far as possible in prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs during the work day, including meal periods. BACKGROUND: In October, 1990 the Board of Supervisors adopted a Resolution implementing the federal Drug-Free Workplace Policy in its CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENY:eS YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION Tri'. ATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE SIGNATURE(S): CHRODER SUNNE WRIGHT McPEAK ACTION OF BOARD ON May 7 91 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. cc: County Administrator ATTESTED Q?Z7 1991 Personnel Director PHIL BATCHEL ,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF County Counsel SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Health Services Director BY ,DEPUTY M382 (10/88) capacity as one of the major employers in the County. At that time, the Board asked the Director of Personnel to make a report to the 1991 Internal Operations Committee six months following implementation. On April 22, 1991 our Committee met with the Director of Personnel, members of his staff and the County' s Employee Assistance Program consultant, Jim O'Donnell. Mr. Cisterman reviewed the attached report with us. Mr. O'Donnell reviewed his role in counseling employees who either recognize that they have a problem and seek assistance or who are referred to the Employee Assistance Program by their supervisor because the employee displays symptoms which may indicate a substance abuse problem. While our Committee believes that a good deal of progress has been made in eliminating the presence of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs from the workplace at any time, we have never explicitly prohibited the consumption of alcoholic beverages or the use of illegal drugs during portions of the workday when the employee is not being paid but when the use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs may negatively impact the employee' s performance on the job. Most often this involves .the lunch hour or other meal period which is provided during the employee' s work day. We believe that the Board of Supervisors should go on record as opposing the consumption of illegal drugs at any time and the consumption of alcoholic beverages during meal periods when the employee is going to be immediately returning to work. We are asking the Director of Personnel to consult with County Counsel and draft a policy which will go as far as the Board is able to in prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs during the work day, even during period of time during the work day when the employee is not being paid, but following which the employee will return to work. This is particularly true when an employee may be driving on County business, whether a County vehicle or the employee's own vehicle. Personnel Department Contra r Costa s Administration Bldg. V a� 651 Pine Street CouI r1 Ity � Martinez, California 94553-1292 moo.•• .•;;r rrq coox'�' DATE: April 8�, . TO: Internal Operations Committee n FROM: Harry D. Cisterman, Director of Personnel,,-./- SUBJECT: ersonnel_rSUBJECT: Update on Implementation of the Board's Drug-Free Workplace Policy Since implementation of the Board's Drug-Free Workplace Policy last October, staff of the Personnel Department has developed, printed and packaged for new employee packets, an attractive brochure summarizing the Board's Drug-Free Workplace Policy (please see the enclosed brochure, Attachment 1). An article also appeared in the Management Newsletter (Attachment 2) . Additionally, staff has arranged to revise County job announcements with the following pronouncement as soon as existing job announcement supplies are replaced: "It is an objective of Contra Costa County to achieve a drug-free County workplace. Any applicant for County employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service and the special trust placed in public servants." We are also producing a poster to be placed in County work locations (Attachment 3) and an update letter on the policy to all employees from Phil Batchelor. We have been working with representatives of the Health Services Department, the County's Employee Assistance Program and the Training Division to develop a continuing program to ensure a drug-free workplace. Our initial product will be a guide for supervisors on "How to Deal with an Impaired Employee" supplemented by training sessions. An initial draft has been prepared and will be finalized after review by County Counsel because of the complex issues involved. Topics include: • Observable symptoms of substance abuse. • Determination of fitness. • Verification of observations. • Confrontation of the issue. • Employee Assistance Referral . • Follow-up. We are pleased that the Public Work's Department has provided the staff support to the Personnel Department for this project. We are also planning a series of articles in the Employee Newsletter starting with the next regular edition and if staffing permits, a series of "brown-bag" lunch talks featuring experts on substance abuse at locations throughout the Internal Operations Committee Page 2 April 18, 1991 County. The articles and brown-bag lunches will be directed at keeping the employees informed on an ongoing basis of County policy and the reasons for the policy. The Training Institute currently presents a session on Coaching and Counselling into which they intend to put content dealing with substance abuse. We will continue to take advantage of any and all opportunities to communicate this important information to all County employees. EKB:dn Attachments w LLM- f i � 0 `� O po - o CD; 0 ° aQ rn yoc?•m3� 0. n a _ CD -d G -c .O. :o �...ocn .cp . 0 -n o Co. Q o ..c. Q7.CD: 0 0; 0, ,d Q. D p G s1 �; ' N Cp o .. Q Q,CD n CD tD tO,0; O C� O CD h..Q t p r fl _N ' �`,Q "' F p• M G' :0 0 'C Q,tQ F'O �- p S' (} twj p O -G :© (D CD 2 t2 -0 CD D .Ov. (°aDo ? � � a� m o_a 3Gom > r � � rL CD p a CD 6 •O Ck 0 •y Oo 0 .4`O O .? S? p n 4tn CD �, `Q, O O u; o C7Q-.Q . @ ,tp p .pu' . O' I 0 a 0:'in n �: � CD 7 � CD u>. 0, CV 0 CD 1. CD CD 0. NCD �'� � en Jo CD Ca 0 O Q CDm cn r++ a .Z-o r .. . r+ -� v n - y l CD .CD o by. p, O ..,_ n .p ON o.c o. s O0 z 0, 0 o? P CD o Q 0 w o '0 0to ' 70 n CD 0 0 0 o .� d -100o o Na,o 1 ..G --ti..N G_.O -0 , , t? =d .�. 0. 0 - C) , . 0 G. .N ` .cn Q A - pN .Q -�* C. tD o � QQ-0 0 CD zyC7 6m�. O � Ca �- a- cOn Q N �,-; Q: C�: 3' � Q N COD (}4 p zO3 0. 03,' ; O QNB -0 0,� 0 oam. 0, O`.,00, rn .� u; p o .G �. 3 © a , o 'CD, t3' o a �' o 0. CD 3 .G. 0 @ -0 CD - O' 3, (D -ty 'd 0,f .-, CD n O t3 Q 0 o 0 CD Q. nC. (0 n N O„:o . CD '01CD CD Q�? "O � o . '0% 00 0 (DD O ,.. - m N f y ATTACHMENT" 2 Contra management Costaupdate �OU�' (November X990atj- F ED BI-MONTHLY FOR THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MANAGEMENTITY BY THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, MARTINEZ, 646-2586.E FOR SUBMITTING ITEMS IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG ABUSE POLICY The County has the overall goals of reducing the incidences of the abuse of alcohol and other drugs through prevention and education, together with intervention and treatment. We believe that alcohol and other drug abuse is a condition requiring professional intervention and recovery services. Therefore, on Tuesday, October 16, 1990, the Board of Supervisors enacted an Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Policy by adopting Resolution 90/674 entitled, "In the Matter of Implement- ing the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988." The essential features of the policy are as follows: Because Contra Costa County Government is committed to protecting the health, well-being and safety of employees and the public from hazards relating to alcohol and other drug abuse by employees, it will: (a) encourage affected individuals to seek professional help volun- tarily at an early stage; (b) assist supervisors in dealing with associated problems related to work performance; (c) assist supervisors, fellow employees, and possibly family members in confronting an employee's alcohol and other drug problems in the workplace. Pursuant to the requirements of the DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE ACT OF 1988, it is the policy of the Contra Costa County Government to continue to provide a drug-free workplace. The manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of alcohol or a controlled sub- stance is prohibited in the workplace. The workplace includes all property under the control and use of Contra Costa County. Any violation of this prohibition by an employee of Contra Costa County may result in: (1) requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilita- tion program; or (1) disciplinary action up to and including termination. An employee must notify his/her department head within five days of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace. An employee will not be disciplined because he/she voluntarily requests assistance for an alcohol or other drug problem. However, seeking assistance or raising any claim related to substance abuse does not relieve an employee of his/her responsibility to meet the County's performance, safety or attendance standards, does not relieve an employee of his/her responsibility to adhere to this policy, and does not insulate the employee from discipline for reasons other than seeking assistance for an alcohol or other drug problem. ATTACHMENT 3 Contra Costa County is committed to A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE for its Employees If you or someone you know needs help Call the . , Employee Assistance Program 1 -800-227-1 50