What To Do When You Suspect Someone's Drinking On The Job

New York based news anchorwoman, Sue Simmons, shocked her late night audience on May 12 when she blurted out a four-letter explicative on live television.

After her bad word blab, the Channel 4 (WNBC) (GE) anchor apologized on air for her slip, which occurred just after 10:30 p.m. during a promotional spot for the 11 p.m. news. While viewers may have been stunned, the incident didn’t surprise some of Simmons’ former co-workers, who later said her behavior was alcohol induced. (An accusation Simmons denied two days later.)

"Sue Simmons likes the sauce and she can be cranky about it," a former WNBC employee told The New York Post (NWS). "She was sometimes a little tipsy [on the air] to the point where colleagues would take notice."

And while Simmons disputed the Post's unnamed sources' take via email, the negative impact of alcohol in workplaces across the country has been widely documented. In 2006, an estimated 15% of the U.S. workforce drank alcohol before or during work, or come to work with a hangover, according to a study by the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions.

That same study revealed that among those reporting their work-related alcohol use, 11% saw alcohol seep into their professional life on a weekly basis. And, drinking is more prevalent in certain industries. The findings report that workers in the arts, entertainment media, sports, food preparation, and building and grounds maintenance were most likely to have worked under the influence of alcohol.

Most companies do not want employees to use any mind-altering substances, whether they be alcohol or illegal drugs, on the premise or before coming to work. Their employee policies usually say as much. And admitting a problem with addiction and agreeing to seek help should not cost you your job thanks to the privacy laws contained in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). "Your company cannot discriminate when you are already hired," says Morris Armstrong, a financial planner in Danbury, Conn. "When you go through a group policy, they don't even differentiate between smokers and non-smokers."

Chances are good if your employer provides medical coverage then your policy follows the Family Medical Leave Act and American Disabilities Act. If you decide to use your benefits and enter a rehabilitation program you have job protection for up to 12 weeks. "This isn't universal," says Larisa Howard, a Human Resources manager in Atlanta. "Always read your paperwork and check for the conditions your job provides."

Are you concerned that a coworker is on the slippery slope and in denial? Begin by talking to the person and focus on how their job is going. “Obviously, this is a very touchy, sensitive area for people," says Katherine Crowley, author of Working with You Is Killing Me and New York based career counselor. "The most important thing to stick with [when confronting someone] is their work performance. Rather than bring up the alcohol, you can mention how they have come in late, are slurring their words or are having trouble focusing at the meeting.”