4. Alcohol and drug abuse

In order to conform to their respective duties, JTC Staffing Solutions workers are required to report to the workplace fit for work.

JTC Staffing Solutions has a “zero tolerance” policy for the use of substances by employees that cause impairment while “at work.” With the exception of a legitimate prescription for medical purposes, the consumption of substances on the job is prohibited. The use of cannabis/marijuana is prohibited while at work, regardless of whether an employee has a legitimate medical prescription. This involves using electronic cannabis/marijuana-containing cigarettes.

Employee Expectations

• While “at work” employees are not to use or possess drugs.
• Employees must ensure that the use of drugs while “at work” does not affect them.
• All employees are liable for reporting when they believe that a co-worker is impaired at work in order to decrease the risk of injuries and occupational accidents or avoid them.
• Reports should be made confidentially to the Charge Nurse or the person outlined in the policy of the Contracted Long-Term Care Home, and to the JTC Staffing Solutions Site Manager if another JTC Staffing Solutions employee is involved in the complaint.
• The employee must contact the JTC Staffing Solutions Office under the conditions where a JTC Staffing Solutions employee is expected to report to the Charge Nurse for impairment in a contracted long-term care home.
• When making a report of alleged or observed drug use causing impairment, all workers have the right to confidentiality.
• If an employee is required to consume a medicinal cannabis product during working hours (or any other prescription drug that may cause impairment), they must disclose it and may be required to provide JTC Staffing Solutions and the contracted Long-Term Care Home with the following information:
  • Prescription/medicinal cannabis license
  • Prognosis surrounding prescription use
  • If cannabis, strains used
  • Dose amounts
  • Frequency of use

Circumstances related to the usage and use of cannabis for medical purposes in the workplace and during working hours will be handled by the Site Manager on a case-by-case basis.

Addiction Illness

If an employee has a drug or alcohol abuse disease, in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, they must report their dependence to the Site Manager in order to identify risks and review accommodation options. If the staff are unable to accommodate GAIA Treatment and the Contracted Long-Term Care services, then they will not be permitted to return to work until they can provide a doctor’s note stating that they have been rehabilitated.

Unless recovery can be confirmed, an employee listed as mentioned above would be entitled to job protection.

Disciplinary Action

• Employees working or reporting to work under the influence of impairment-causing drugs must automatically be sent home without pay and may be subject to progressive discipline or dismissal.
• Any worker discovered to be consuming drugs at work without consent would be subject to incremental supervision or dismissal.
• The CNO will be told of any registered employee who is found to be consuming drugs at work without permission.
• Employees who, through occupational accommodation, have either relapsed or have not been active in a recovery program, can be dismissed if there is a continuing effect on job performance and/or the work environment.

This is the alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis usage and impairment policy of JTC Staffing Solutions in the workplace, which sets the minimum standards for JTC Staffing Solutions workers to comply with while on-site in contracted Long-Term Care homes.

If a policy that is more restrictive/detailed than this policy is given by the contracted Long-Term Care Home where the employee works, the employee must adhere to the specifications of the policy of the home while staying in accordance with the expectations of JTC Staffing Solutions as outlined in this document. If an employee is unaware of their responsibilities about the use and impairment of alcohol, narcotics and cannabis in the workplace, they should contact their Site Manager for clarification.