Is Staying Employed Possible?

[Blade34]

undefinedWhat is the name of your state?California

My brother works foran extremely large corporation and believes he is going to be terminated. He has only a verbal on file. He suspects that his superiors know of his methamphetamine addiction and are in the process of terminating him. Can he take any measures to keep his job. I am speaking of rehab or are there any laws on the books that prevent an employer from termination if the rehab is voluntary and already begun? Time I believe is of the essence and any kind of direction, advice or god..just anything for me to go on and help him and help save his job. Thank you...

 

[skittles3444]

Hey,

I dont know where your brother works but at my job in our break room we have a piece of paper posted that says that an employee can't be fired for a drug addiction if he admitts he has a problem and is seeking treatment. But I'm not sure if this applies to where he works.

 

[Son of Slam]

Well, I don't know where you work, but we have hundred dollar bills pined to the walls in the restrooms and the mirrors slide out into conference tables. Anyone not using methamphetamine is considered a fat, lazy, underachiever and is terminated. But I'm not sure if this normal yet.


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[Beth3]

An employee cannot be fired simply because they have an addiction or a history of addiction (a recovering alcoholic with no current abuse problems, for example.) But declaring one's self as a methamphetamine addict doesn't mean the employer has to instantly overlook drug use that may have been taking place on the job and/or job performance problems that have been occurring.

They can't term your brother because he has a drug problem or because he's in rehab but they can terminate him for poor job performance or behavioral problems at work the drug use has caused, as long as they are not treating him any differently than they would any other employee with job performance or behavior problems.

Time I believe is of the essence Yes it is. Your brother's life is at stake. The smartest thing he can do is seek professional help for his addiction and if he needs a leave of absence from work for in-patient rehab, then inform his employer of the situation and apply for leave.