Signs & Symptoms Checklist
Tracking the Behavior Patterns of Drug and Alcohol Abusers
Signs and Symptoms Checklist for Reasonable Suspicion Cases
Careful records of behaviors on a signs and symptoms checklist for reasonable suspicion cases can help ensure that your company is not left vulnerable to a lawsuit.
By taking time to note the behaviors leading to the need for a reasonable suspicion test you will be helping to ensure that you are prepared for the confrontation, and that there is no other reason for the employee’s behavior. Your checklist should contain a section for noting the general nature of the incident or the cause for concern/suspicion; a section for noting disruptive or abnormal behavior; a section for noting any physical signifiers or symptoms notices; and lastly room for a summation paragraph.
Careful records of behaviors on a signs and symptoms checklist for reasonable suspicion cases can help ensure that your company is not left vulnerable to a lawsuit. By taking time to note the behaviors leading to the need for a reasonable suspicion test you will be helping to ensure that you are prepared for the confrontation, and that there is no other reason for the employee’s behavior. Your checklist should contain a section for noting the general nature of the incident or the cause for concern/suspicion; a section for noting disruptive or abnormal behavior; a section for noting any physical signifiers or symptoms notices; and lastly room for a summation paragraph.
In the first and second section of the signs and symptoms checklist for reasonable suspicion, you should take note of the nature of the incident and any behaviors that seem unusual. Remember that the goal is to demonstrate how the employee is not performing their job effectively. For the nature of the incident take note of the following: Apparent alcoholic or drug induced intoxication; Behavior that is erratic or abnormal; Use or possession (either personally observed or reported) of illegal or prohibited intoxicants; Suspicion of drug test tampering from previous test; Flagrant violation of workplace safety rules; Hostile, angry or abusive language or behavior; Unauthorized departure or absence; Any serious misconduct. For the employee’s personal behaviors, take note of the following: Any abusive behavior – either verbal or physical, confrontational or agitated state, seeming depression, unresponsiveness, withdrawal or rapid mood changes, or inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
On a signs and symptoms checklist for reasonable suspicion you should also take note of any physical signifiers of the problem, but be careful here, because if any of these items does not directly interfere with the job then it must simply be treated as circumstantial or secondary evidence. Although bloodshot eyes, smelling like alcohol (or pot) and unusual eye movement are all good signs of a substance abuse problem none of these things truly interfere with the job. Concentrate on noting such signs as falling asleep on the job; Excitable or nervous behavior; slurred speech; and light-headedness or fainting.
Keeping a signs and symptoms checklist for reasonable suspicion will help you order your thoughts and prepare to confront the employee with the problem. Keep a checklist from the moment you begin to suspect a problem and only go to the employee when the evidence is strong enough to justify it.
