Skip to main content
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • SHRM Business
  • Linkage Logo
  • Store
  • Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
SHRM
About
Book a Speaker
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Membership
  • Certification
    Certification

    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
      Certification Portal
  • Topics & Tools
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    Events & Education

    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    Community

    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Close
  • Membership
  • Certification
    back
    Certification
    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
      Certification Portal
  • Topics & Tools
    back
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    back
    Events & Education
    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    back
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    back
    Community
    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Store
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
  • About
  • Book a Speaker
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • SHRM Business
  • Linkage Logo
SHRM
Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
Close

  1. Topics & Tools
  2. Employment Law & Compliance
  3. Accommodating Workers with a History of Substance Abuse
Share
  • Linked In
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.


Error message details.

Copy button
Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.


Learn More
News

Accommodating Workers with a History of Substance Abuse

July 21, 2017 | Lisa Nagele-Piazza, J.D.

A man sitting on a couch talking to a woman.


Employers don't have to accommodate any alcohol or illicit drug use in the workplace, but they must be careful not to discriminate against workers with a history of substance abuse who are no longer using.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects workers from discrimination based on a qualifying disability or a perceived disability—including alcoholism and past illegal drug use, explained Todd Wulffson, an attorney with Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger in Orange County, Calif.

Therefore, employers should try to arrange a reasonable accommodation if, for example, an employee needs to leave early for an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Wulffson explained.

The ADA covers businesses with 15 or more employees and protects workers with a history of illicit drug use who:

  • Have successfully been rehabilitated and are no longer using illegal drugs.
  • Are currently participating in a rehabilitation program and are no longer using illegal drugs.
  • Are erroneously regarded as illegal drug users.

Alcoholism may also be considered an ADA-qualifying disability, but employers may:

  • Prohibit the use of alcohol in the workplace.
  • Forbid employees from being under the influence of alcohol in the workplace.
  • Hold employees with alcoholism to the same performance standards as other employees, even if alcoholism is the reason for substandard performance.

"All employers should have a clear, written drug and alcohol policy in place that is supportive and written in a way that employees with addiction problems feel safe to come forward," said Rebecca Flood, CEO and executive director at New Directions for Women—a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for women in Southern California.

[SHRM members-only policy: Drug Testing: Drug and Alcohol]

Illegal Drug Use

A recent federal court decision in Nevada serves as a reminder that employers don't have to accommodate current illegal drug use, Wulffson said. In Scott v. Harrah's LLC, No. 2:17-cv-01066 (D. Nevada 2017), casino worker Donald Scott told his employer that he had a substance abuse problem, and the casino accommodated his drug treatment program by adjusting his work schedule. After two stints in rehab, Scott failed a drug test and the casino fired him for allegedly "not taking his rehab and treatment program seriously."

Scott filed a lawsuit claiming that the casino violated the ADA by firing him for having a history of drug addiction.

But the court dismissed his claim. The court recognized that a drug addiction that "substantially limits" one or more major life activities qualified as a disability under the ADA. However, it said that the definition of "an individual with a disability" doesn't include "an individual who is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when the covered entity acts on the basis of such use."

State Laws

Employers must also be mindful of state laws that protect employees with disabilities—which could provide more protection than the ADA. For example, California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) covers medical conditions as well as disabilities.

FEHA is also much broader than the ADA, Wulffson noted. The ADA protects an employee with a physical or mental impairment that "substantially" limits the performance of a major life activity, whereas FEHA doesn't use the word "substantially" and simply protects an employee with an impairment that limits a major life activity. FEHA also generally applies to businesses with five or more employees.

Further complicating matters, marijuana use is now legal—at least to some degree—in many states. Wulffson said employers can get confused about whether they must accommodate medical marijuana use in the workplace.

He noted that marijuana remains a Schedule I drug at the federal level (just like heroin and LSD) and that any use of the drug (medicinally or recreationally) is still illegal under federal law.

However, state laws do vary as to whether they protect registered medical marijuana users from workplace discrimination.

[SHRM members-only multistate coverage: Multistate Employer Resources] 

In New York, for example, certified medical marijuana users are considered individuals with disabilities under the state's human rights law. 

The Massachusetts high court recently allowed a registered medical marijuana user to pursue a state-law disability discrimination claim against a former employer. She was fired because she tested positive for marijuana—which she claimed to have used off duty—and her employer didn't engage in an interactive process to explore reasonable accommodations. 

In California, however, there are no protections for current use or for failing a drug test. 

Wulffson recommended that employers communicate to workers that they will always do their best to accommodate the underlying medical condition, but can't accommodate drug use of any kind at work.

"No court anywhere in the U.S. has said that someone has to remain employed after being caught using on the job," he noted.

For employers in states where marijuana use is now legal, he recommends having a policy that specifically states that marijuana use in the workplace is impermissible, rather than just stating that "illegal drug use will not be tolerated." Otherwise, workers may argue that marijuana is "legal" and that they didn't know it was included as an illegal drug in the policy.

Tips for Employers

Flood said drug and alcohol use at work is more common than employers might think. She cited a 2015 study from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, which found that 70 percent of Americans who are addicted are also employed.

She noted the following key indicators that someone may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs on the job:

  • Frequent tardiness or unexplained absences—with sick days consistently falling after payday or on Mondays.
  • Inconsistent job performance.
  • A lack of concern over personal appearance and hygiene.
  • Bloodshot eyes.

"Employers should promptly and properly address potential issues with employees they suspect of improperly using substances as outlined in their drug and alcohol policy," Flood said. "Be careful in maintaining boundaries: Don't offer to lend the employee in question money, cover up for him or her, or delegate work to another employee."

As long as employees are willing to get help, they should be granted a leave of absence to seek treatment and rehabilitation without being concerned that they will lose their jobs, she said.

After an employee successfully completes a rehabilitation program, Flood said, employers should schedule an in-person return-to-work meeting. Employers should provide a written document that outlines expectations for the employee who is re-entering the workforce, she added. The agreement should include an acknowledgement that failure to meet the expectations can be grounds for termination, she said.

 

Was this article useful? SHRM offers thousands of tools, templates and other exclusive member benefits, including compliance updates, sample policies, HR expert advice, education discounts, a growing online member community and much more. Join/Renew Now and let SHRM help you work smarter. 

Employee Relations
Employment Law & Compliance
Policies and Practices
Relationship Management
Risk Management
Substance Abuse
Work Life Integration

Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.



Related Content

Kelly Dobbs Bunting speaks onstage at SHRM24
(opens in a new tab)
News
Why AI+HI Is Essential to Compliance

HR must always include human intelligence and oversight of AI in decision-making in hiring and firing, a legal expert said at SHRM24. She added that HR can ensure compliance by meeting the strictest AI standards, which will be in Colorado’s upcoming AI law.

(opens in a new tab)
News
A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.

(opens in a new tab)
News
How One Company Uses Digital Tools to Boost Employee Well-Being

Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

Workplace Compliance Newsletter

Summaries of legal decisions, legislative news and regulatory news, delivered Friday afternoons.

Success title

Success caption

Manage Subscriptions
  • About SHRM
  • Careers at SHRM
  • Press Room
  • Contact SHRM
  • Book a SHRM Executive Speaker
  • Advertise with Us
  • Partner with Us
  • Copyright & Permissions
  • Post a Job
  • Find an HR Job
Follow Us
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • SHRM Newsletters
  • Ask An Advisor

© 2025 SHRM. All Rights Reserved

SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Disclaimer


  1. Privacy Policy

  2. Terms of Use

  3. Accessibility

Join SHRM for Exclusive Access to Member Content

SHRM Members enjoy unlimited access to articles and exclusive member resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Limit Reached

Get unlimited access to articles and member-exclusive resources.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join to access unlimited articles and member-only resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join the Executive Network and enjoy unlimited content.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join and enjoy unlimited access to SHRM Executive Network Content.

Already a member?
Unlock Your Career with SHRM Membership

Please enjoy this free resource! Join SHRM for unlimited access to exclusive articles and tools.

Already a member?

Your membership is almost expired! Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew now

Your membership has expired. Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew Now

Your Executive Network membership is nearing its expiration. Renew now to maintain access.

Renew Now

Your membership has expired. Renew your Executive Network benefits today.

Renew Now