| If you are working with employee performance, | | | | event with a reliable witness and the |
| someday you will have an employee sitting in | | | | employee’s signature. Even if the signature |
| front of you who swears the next day a | | | | is difficult to read due to a loss of motor skills, |
| conversation in your office never occurred. And | | | | there is no excuse to invalidate documentation. |
| they won’t be lying. They will have | | | | This will help prevent the feeling of being stranded |
| experienced a blackout--and irretrievable loss of | | | | in a Jerry Springer show entitled Blackouts: When |
| memory resulting from alcohol’s affect on | | | | Your Employee Doesn't Remember Being Sent |
| the brain causing it to be completely incapable of | | | | Home Drunk. |
| processing memory while toxic. | | | | In the case of blackouts: when your employee |
| Dealing with an employee you have previously | | | | doesn't remember being sent home drunk you |
| reprimanded is difficult. Dealing with blackouts: | | | | may find they will claim they didn’t know, or |
| when your employee doesn't remember being | | | | that “everyone is against them,” they |
| sent home drunk is even more complicated. | | | | may blame others or try gaining your pity for |
| Disciplinary action is an unfortunate necessary | | | | their personal situation. If they do no remember |
| responsibility of a supervisor. Well documented | | | | being sent home drunk they may try playing on |
| disciplinary action will focus on work performance | | | | your sympathy. Your best defense against this |
| and is the best way to make an uncomfortable | | | | is a calm approach, keeping to the issues of work |
| situation bearable for both you and the employee. | | | | performance and conduct. A level head on your |
| Any employee who doesn’t remember being | | | | part will do more to diffuse the issue than |
| sent home drunk is likely going to try a variety of | | | | anything. Even if the employee begins to get |
| tactics to prove their innocence. They may | | | | angry or breaks down into tears, you need to |
| make excuses; even provide possible scenarios | | | | keep your focus on the matter of work. Do not |
| that seem plausible to anyone who was not | | | | try and moralize their situation or diagnose their |
| present at the time when they were sent | | | | problem. If the employee was sent home drunk, |
| home. Or they may try and relate the incident | | | | than the action taken was deemed appropriate at |
| to another time they do remember, confusing the | | | | the time and your only course is to stand behind |
| facts and diverting the situation. Diverting the | | | | that decision. |
| issue is typical for someone who has blackouts | | | | The key to dealing with blackouts: when your |
| and cannot remember specifics. You should be | | | | employee doesn't remember being sent home |
| aware of and prepared for these behavior | | | | drunk is to keep level headed and stick to the |
| patterns. Make sure when you send an | | | | documentation. |
| employee home drunk you have documented the | | | | |