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It’s never easy to talk to your supervisor or HR department about seeking treatment for an addiction. However, being proactive about getting help for an alcohol or substance use disorder could make the difference between being fired and getting a leave of absence.
If you work for Costco and are considering going to rehab for drug or alcohol addiction, we’ll give you some advice on how to talk to your supervisors and what the Costco policies are regarding addiction treatment.
If you work at Costco you are part of the second-largest retailer in the world. When it comes to receiving care for an addiction issue this is good news. Costco has over 200,000 employees across over 700 stores. With that many employees, Costco has a great support system in place to take care of employees with addiction issues.
However, there is a downside to working for such a large corporation. Although the Care Network provides ample resources to people in need of medical treatment, if an employee is found to be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance while on the job or involved in a workplace accident, they can find themselves terminated on the spot.
That is why it is so important to talk to your employer about needing addiction treatment before the issue becomes so obvious and glaring that the employee is fired. There are many stages to addiction and alcoholism, but it is a progressive disease, meaning that it gets worse, never better, until a person gets the help they need.
A person’s work may be affected negatively by drugs and alcohol even if they never use them on the job. A person with an addiction issue may:
These issues may lead to write-ups or verbal warnings and impact a person’s standing with the company. However, as long as there isn’t an onsite accident, an employee may get away with this behavior for years before being terminated. Some employees are better at hiding their addiction. Their supervisor may think of them as just quiet or easily frustrated, but not believe that they have a substance abuse issue.
In both cases, it is best to be proactive about getting help. Whether a person is a model employee or on their last warning, the company will be obliged to offer them a medical leave of absence to receive treatment.
Many employees are unaware of resources that exist for employees at Costco and the legal protections that are in place.
An employee may be eligible to take unpaid leave for treatment under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA gives employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for certain qualifying reasons. One qualifying reason for leave is a serious health condition that causes a person to be unable to work at all or unable to perform any one of the essential functions of their job.
In order to qualify for FMLA, an employee has to have been employed by Costco for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours during the year before they take leave.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits most employers from refusing to hire, firing, or discriminating against qualified potential employees based on their disability.
People in recovery are protected by the ADA, however, current drug or alcohol use is not if it affects the employee’s work. If a person is sober and has gone to rehab, or is currently enrolled in a rehab program and not using drugs, they are protected by the ADA.
Costco encourages employees with drug and alcohol problems to seek help from the Care Network before they become subject to discipline for violating Costco’s Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy or any other Costco policies. Costco will support, assist, and accommodate those employees to the extent required by applicable law.
Any employee of Costco may voluntarily access the Care Network for any work-related or drug and alcohol issue. The Care Network offers qualified, licensed, or certified providers experienced in psychology, social work, and counseling.
These providers have specialized training in workplace and family issues, alcohol and drug abuse treatment, and other related areas of concern. Employees will not be disciplined by Costco because they request assistance from the Care Network or other resources.
Employees may not, however, avoid discipline by requesting assistance after they violate Costco’s policies or are notified of their selection for drug or alcohol testing. In addition, employees who request assistance will not be excused from complying with Costco’s policies, including its standards for employee performance and conduct.
Costco performs drug tests for illicit substances during the pre-employment and orientation process as well as following suspicious behavior at work, after an accident at work, or before returning to work. A person must pass this test in order to be offered employment. These are typical pre-employment tests that screen for marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, and phencyclidine amongst other substances. All employees must comply with these drug tests.
Doctor prescribed medication is allowed under Costco’s policy but it is highly recommended to inform Costco ahead of time about this medication. Even if marijuana is legalized in the state of employment, Costco may still refuse to offer employment or pursue disciplinary action.
Costco often opts to test their employees using a mouth swab drug test (although they sometimes employ urine tests). The mouth swab test takes between 5 to 10 minutes to produce results. Employees who test positive for drugs or alcohol or who otherwise violate the substance abuse policy will be subject to disciplinary action including termination.
A person who is currently employed at Costco who fails a drug test may be allowed to continue their employment depending on the circumstances. Continued employment may be possible if the employee completes all evaluations, counseling sessions, treatment, and rehabilitation programs, and passes the return-to-duty and follow-up tests,
Being proactive about receiving addiction treatment could make the difference between getting fired and starting a new life in recovery. Making the decision to get help can be difficult, but it is significantly better than being compelled to attend rehab in order to keep your job or being terminated without the opportunity to receive treatment paid for by Costco’s employee benefits.
Get help now at Sober Partners. Our staff is dedicated to your treatment and future success.
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