1. "I haven't had a drink since last night!"
Employees with high tolerance to alcohol may have their last drink late at night and still be under the influence next morning. Don't let this statement convince you that reasonable suspicion testing is unnecessary.
2. "It's mouthwash."
If you get the smell of alcohol from their breath, then you can verify it for reasonable suspicion testing. It might be a mouthwash, or may not be. This is one of the most common excuses and most DOT awareness training programs exclude this information.
3. "It's medicine!"
Same as above; it might be medicine or maybe alcohol. If it smells like alcohol, you can document it, even if the driver states that what you smell is not what you think it is.
4. "I have used it."
It may happen sometimes that an employee admits to have used drugs or alcohol and it should be tested. Their honesty means, they need help.
5. "It will ruin my career."
If an employee manages to convince you that reasonable suspicion testing will be harmful to their career and their life, means that you are indirectly supporting them to do so. The Supervisor Compliance Training Department Online course mentions that a supervisor's job is to make them understand; testing saves the employee's life and others too.
6. "Do I look drunk to you?"
Most drug and alcohol addicts usually have the ability to consume large quantities and still appear un-intoxicated. So if you smell alcohol in their breath make sure to document it for reasonable suspicion testing.
7. "It's okay, I'm taking treatment."
Employees with unmanageable or untreated addiction problem often understand better about their problem than others. They know what should be done to treat their illness, but still don't. Sudden awareness or motivational talk is usually to manipulate you and convince that they don't need testing.
8. "Let's wait and see. This is for the first time."
If you wait to see if it happens again you'll be simply delaying it. If an accident occurs later, you'll be blaming yourself for not acting when there was a chance. The program at DOT Supervisor Compliance Training Department specifically addresses the issue of supervisors who don't have the guts to face a bully in the workplace.
9. "Let's keep it between ourselves, we're friends aren't we?"
Don't be sympathetic and hide your employee's problem. Moreover, if you are friends with the offender, and if you socialize and drink with him, you will face a challenge in recommending reasonable suspicion testing. A true friend will put his job security ahead of such friendships when alcoholism or drug abuse facilitates a crisis at work and personal life.
The Supervisor Compliance Training Department Online and live courses are the best programs for DOT awareness training.
