Supporting Employees Through Addiction: Compassion, Compliance, and Workplace Solutions

Supporting an employee struggling with addiction requires HR professionals and managers to balance compassion with workplace responsibilities, legal requirements, and consistent employment practices. This webinar examines substance use disorder (SUD) and other forms of addiction and explains how these conditions can affect employee behavior, performance, attendance, and workplace relationships. Participants will learn how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may apply to employees with substance use disorders and the important distinctions between alcoholism, current illegal drug use, and individuals recovering from drug addiction.

The program explores the employer's responsibility to engage in the ADA interactive process and evaluate reasonable accommodations based on an employee's individual limitations and essential job functions. Practical accommodation strategies are discussed, including modified schedules, leave, remote work, job restructuring, reassignment, workplace modifications, and time to participate in treatment or recovery programs. Participants will also examine how the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), confidentiality requirements, workplace policies, documentation, and consistent employment practices may intersect with addiction-related situations.

The webinar addresses the important role managers play in recognizing objective changes in employee performance, responding appropriately when an employee asks for help, and referring sensitive situations to HR rather than making assumptions or medical judgments. Attendees will also learn how Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), government resources, and other support services can assist employers and employees during treatment and recovery. Through practical workplace examples, participants will gain strategies for supporting employees while maintaining performance expectations, protecting confidentiality, reducing discrimination risk, and promoting a respectful workplace culture.

• Recognize how substance use disorder and other addictions can affect employees, job performance, and the workplace while distinguishing addiction from occasional or casual substance use.
• Explain how the ADA may apply to alcoholism, recovering drug addiction, and substance use disorders, including important limitations involving current illegal drug use.
• Apply the ADA interactive process to evaluate employee requests and identify potential reasonable accommodations based on individual limitations and essential job functions.
• Evaluate workplace accommodation options such as flexible scheduling, leave, remote work, job restructuring, reassignment, modified duties, and access to treatment or recovery programs.
• Identify when ADA, FMLA, confidentiality, documentation, workplace policies, and other employment considerations may apply when an employee discloses an addiction or requests assistance.
• Respond appropriately to employee disclosures while protecting confidentiality and reducing discrimination or inconsistent treatment.
• Prepare managers to recognize objective performance changes, communicate appropriately with employees, and escalate potential accommodation or leave requests to HR.
• Utilize EAPs, JAN, EARN, government guidance, accommodation forms, and other workplace resources to support employees while maintaining appropriate performance and conduct standards.

This webinar offers HR professionals and managers the practical knowledge and confidence to address addiction in the workplace with compassion, consistency, and compliance. Don’t wait until a difficult situation arises—gain the tools and strategies now to respond appropriately, support employees through recovery, protect your organization, and build a workplace where compassion and accountability work together.