Hungover at Work? ‘Tis the Season

David Lichtenberg was quoted on NJ 101.5 on November 2, 2015. The article “Hungover at Work? ‘Tis the Season” discussed how to handle hung-over employees in the workplace.

David stated that his firm gets their most hangover-related inquiries from employers during the colder months, thanks to the holidays and the Super Bowl.

“It’s a common thing that a lot of employers have to deal with across every industry,” David said. “It doesn’t target white collar workers more than blue collar workers, or vice versa.”

“I would treat it the same as I would if someone came in with the flu,” he said.

His advice to employers – don’t mention alcohol or the possibility of a drinking problem. Assuming someone has that type of issue can create legal liability.

“If someone’s not doing their job, tell them they’re not doing their job,” David explained. “Be factual, and tell them what the impact of their behavior is on the workplace.”

Terminating an employee for this reason is certainly acceptable, he noted, as long as an employer can link a worker’s actions to a decrease in output.

To read the full article, please visit NJ 101.5.