Yes, legally, drug addiction is considered to be a disability because it requires treatment and rehabilitation, just as any other medical disorder does. That person has the right to challenge any discrimination due to their past drug use or need for treatment. Outpatient treatment programs allow individuals to live at home while attending treatment. Services like individual therapy, family therapy, and group counseling may be offered as part of the outpatient program.

About 17.7 million substance users in the United States needed treatment for drugs and alcohol but did not get any. Of this number, only about 4.5% ( Approximately 806,000) felt the urgency to seek help. The most common drug test in the workplace is a urinalysis, or urine test, which can be used to detect alcohol, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, opiates/opioids, cocaine, and marijuana (THC).

Employers: How to Respond to Employees’ Illegal Drug Use and Possession

1. The law protects against discriminatory actions; however, it does not always protect legally.
2. This Act applies the discrimination rules and regulations in the ADA to federal employees, federal agencies, federal contractors, and other federal bodies.
3. When someone begins using drugs of any kind they may start feeling as if they need larger and more frequent doses, even with something that started as social experimentation.
4. They may feel uneasy about an individual with a gap in their work history, no matter the reasons.
5. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data.

By understanding what legal safeguards they have access to, employees can feel more secure in seeking treatment without fear of job loss due to their disability or health insurance needs. It’s important to be honest and forthright with your employer about seeking addiction treatment for alcohol or drug abuse. Share your personal challenges with substance abuse and your decision to proactively seek treatment. We publish material that is researched, cited, yellow eyes after drinking edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.

Can my past employer tell future employers I was let go due to substance abuse?

If an employee’s performance is affected by the proper use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, state and federal disability laws may limit an employer’s options. Depending on how the drug mixing.naltrexone.and hard alcohol affects the employee, and whether the employee suffers from a disability within the meaning of these laws, your company may have to accommodate the employee’s use of the drugs. While it can be troublesome to see the signs of drug abuse, it’s also important to realize you shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Instead, you should try to learn more about signs of abuse, and then explore professional care options. If you have a friend, family member or loved one you suspect is doing drugs, it can be incredibly upsetting. There are ways you can help someone if they have an addiction to drugs, but of course, you want to handle the topic with sensitivity, and avoid jumping to conclusions.

Before going to rehab, it is helpful to generate a list of tasks and objectives that require completion. This will enable you to prioritize responsibilities based on importance and urgency while also allowing manageable segments for larger items. To ensure all bases are covered prior to entering treatment, utilizing an applicable tool or application can be beneficial when organizing the task list effectively.

Can You Get Fired for Going to Alcohol or Drug Rehab?

Our writers and reviewers are experienced professionals in medicine, addiction treatment, and healthcare. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data. Even though the ADA protects employees in rehab and recovery, the workspace may treat returnees differently.

But, at the same time, keeping reliable, trustworthy, and valued employees as they receive the help they need can be a tremendous asset to the business. Firstly, one needs to understand how to tell your employer you are going to rehab in a way that doesn’t make the user seem like a liability to the company. There are methods on how to go to rehab and keep your job, which is always better than getting fired for drinking on the job. If termination becomes necessary, uphold professionalism and confidentiality.

If you believe you or someone you love may be struggling with addiction, let us hear your story and help you determine a path to treatment. Download your free cheat sheet on How to Deal with Employee Drug Use to learn what to do about employee drug use in your office. You may need to attend therapy sessions and receive other services for 9 or more hours each week (3 hours a day on 3 days of the week). It may be helpful to arm yourself with famous fetal alcohol syndrome adults basic information concerning substance use disorders and addiction treatment before approaching your employer. This will help your employer understand that addiction is a medical condition, just like diabetes and cancer.