My company has 6 experienced construction supervisors. John is one of them and he is 55 with very good working record and attendance. His job performance is pretty good. Rumors are spread in the company that he is alcoholic and he drinks at the job. Many office and storeroom employee has said that they have smelled alcohol on his breath. Storeroom employees said he buys two cokes every day and then gets off with his company truck. I have talked to John one day and noticed the alcohol smell as well. I talked to John and confronted him about the rumors. He said two cokes are just for him and carpenter super visor at the job site. I reminded him about the company policy which is as following," No employee is permitted to go on duty or remain on duty if he or she possesses, is under the influence of, or is consuming an alcoholic beverage. Violation of this will result in dismissal."
This year rumors are that he drinks milk and spike it and used it to combat his odorous breath. What should I do from here on. John has never been caught drinking. Hid construction job is going fine, but little behind because it was hard to get good laborers and carpenters at beginning of construction season. Workers turnover was a little higher on this job than average. Can I ask for drug test or is it not legal? To what extent I should go to catch him drinking? If he confesses he is alcoholic what should I do then?

It's a shame to lose a good employee, but if he is drinking on the job he needs to stop. Someone, himself included, could be hurt on even killed.

Where I work it is policy for people to submit to an alcohol, or drug, test/screen. However, maybe you could offer him some type of counseling. He really needs to get detoxed, and go through a period of rehabilitation, then get into a 12 step program like Alcoholics Anonymous. But chances are he will deny his abuse. And you MAY have to fire him.

Maybe being faced with the possibility of losing his job, maybe he will seek the appropriate help.

Be gentle with the guy, he is sick. Alcoholism is a DISEASE. Some people just don't realize that the alcoholic HAS to drink more than he WANTS to drink.

Check with human resources(if you have it), and see what his options are. Hopefully you can help him out. If not, have him tested, and then take the appropriate steps. I know that this wasn't much help, but it's my 2 cents.

Here is a link to AA:Alcoholics Anonymous :

I sure don't envy you right now. This has got to be tough.

Good luck and GOD bless the suffering alcoholics.

I sort of agree with Joseph's answer above BUT I had a husband who was a construction worker for a few years. It is critical that everyone on the job be sober at all times. This is definitely a SAFETY issue - not some coddling of an alcoholic. If this supervisor's actions leads to one of his workers getting injured seriously - then it will more than likely result in a huge lawsuit award. Can your company afford the luxury of paying out a small fortune in the future for insurance coverage for the company employees? Probably not.

I would pull a "surprise" drug/alcohol test on him. And also hold random drug/alcohol tests on a weekly basis for all the other employees as well. It's much, much cheaper in the long run to catch and dismiss the drunk employee than it is to keep paying out for years and years on a settlement due to someone's negligence.

The supervisor may just be one of MANY of the employees who show up bombed or work bombed or impaired. Lots of construction workers drink heavily after work. Some actually start the day drinking before they get to work. Some drink on the job. Drunks are everywhere in the construction business.

You need to post a huge sign where all the employees can see it saying that your company has ZERO tolerance towards drugs and/or alcohol on the job or job sites. Then, start the random testing. You gave fair warning with the sign, then follow up and fire the offenders.

There are lots of other non drinking, non drugging workers out there to hire.

You are not a baby sitter for dunks or druggies. You are a business. Let those folks to elsewhere. Times are too tough to coddle these folks.