Managing drugs and alcohol in the workplace is a high-risk employment law issue for New Zealand employers, which should always be approached with caution.

Decisions to test, discipline or dismiss employees for drug or alcohol-related matters routinely lead to personal grievance claims, particularly where employers fail to follow a fair process, rely on weak evidence, apply policies inconsistently, or fail to have a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy at all.

Ensuring a sound understanding of the key legal considerations and risks that apply to this area of employment law helps to reduce an employer’s exposure to protracted disputes, including potential successful personal grievance claims.