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The Office of the Governor

THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF IDAHO
BOISE

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2007-08

ESTABLISHING THE IDAHO ALCOHOL AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE
POLICY

REPEALING AND REPLACING EXECUTIVE ORDER 2006-42


        WHEREAS, the State of Idaho has a vital interest in maintaining a safe, healthy and efficient working environment for its employees, clients and the public; and

        WHEREAS, employees impaired by alcohol or other drugs during work hours pose safety and health risks not only to themselves but to others; and

        WHEREAS, employees who use illegal drugs, whether on or off duty, are generally less productive, less reliable and prone to greater absenteeism than employees who do not use drugs; and

        WHEREAS, the use of illegal drugs by state employees is inconsistent with both law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, and the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public; and

        WHEREAS, the use of alcohol or drugs by state employees in certain positions of sensitivity poses a special risk to public safety and the effective enforcement of the law; and

        WHEREAS, the use of alcohol or drugs becomes a matter of concern to the State of Idaho when it interferes with job performance, conduct, attendance, or safety of state employees; and

        WHEREAS, the State of Idaho, as an employer, has a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure that state functions are performed efficiently and without undue risk to the people of the State; and

        WHEREAS, the State of Idaho, as an employer, also is concerned with the well-being of its employees and should encourage the identification and rehabilitation of employees with alcohol or drug problems; and

        WHEREAS, the position of Office of Drug Policy was established within the Office of the Governor to advise and assist the Governor in coordinating all drug and substance abuse initiatives in the State of Idaho;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of Idaho, do hereby order the Idaho Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Policy to become effective immediately for all employees of the State of Idaho:

1. The consumption of alcohol on the job is prohibited. Employees may not work if their performance is
    impaired by the use of alcohol;
2. The unlawful manufacturing, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is
    prohibited, and if occurring on State property or during an employee's hours of work, demands
    immediate corrective action;
3. Each State agency shall provide employees with information on Idaho's Alcohol and Drug-Free
    Workplace Policy, as well as information on the State's Employee Assistance Plan;
4. Violations of the Idaho Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Policy will be cause for
    management/supervisor intervention and may result in referral to treatment, including participation in
    the Employee Assistance Program. It shall be the policy of the State of Idaho to direct its efforts toward
    rehabilitation whenever reasonable;
5. Any intervention steps taken upon a violation of the Idaho Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Policy
    must be consistent with all due process requirements and other constitutional rights of state
    employees;
6. The privacy rights of employees are important. Any intervention steps taken because of a violation of
    the Idaho Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Policy, including a referral for treatment, counseling or
    rehabilitation programs, shall include procedures to protect the confidentiality of treatment records as
    well as the employee's identity;
7. The director of each agency shall report quarterly, the first of January, April, July, and October, to the
    Division of Human Resources and Office of Drug Policy any violations of the Idaho Alcohol and Drug-
    Free Workplace Policy and the corrective actions taken. "Quarterly" means the report shall be filed the
    first day of January, April, July, and October. The report shall, to the extent practicable, protect the
    confidentiality of the employee involved, but shall describe the nature of the employee's position;
8. The Division of Human Resources in conjunction with the Office of Drug Policy shall annually compile
    information regarding violations of this policy and the corrective actions taken, and report this
    information by June 30 to the Governor. Any information so reported shall be reported in a manner to
    avoid revealing the identity of the employees involved. The Division of Human Resources and the
    Office of Drug Policy, when they compile this data, shall do so by type of position so as to determine
    whether there is an alcohol or drug problem in any "safety-sensitive" positions;
9. Whenever there is an alcohol or drug problem in a "safety-sensitive" position, it is critical that the
    problem be addressed aggressively. For the purpose of this policy, a "safety-sensitive" position is one
    in which:

          A. The duties involve a greater-than-normal level of trust for, responsibility for, or impact on the
               health and safety of the employee or others; and
          B. Errors in judgment, inattentiveness or diminished coordination, dexterity, or composure while
              performing the duties could result in mistakes that would endanger the health and safety of the
              employee or others; and
          C. Employees in these positions work with such independence that it cannot be safely assumed that
              mistakes such as those described in subsection (B) could be prevented by a supervisor or
              another employee;

10. In the event the Division of Human Resources finds an alcohol or drug problem in any agency or
      classification, it shall report that to the Governor and the Office of Drug Policy, and the agency,
      working in conjunction with the Division of Human Resources and the Governor, shall develop a
      program to respond to the problem. This program may include alcohol or drug testing for employees
      in safety-sensitive classifications where such a problem has been documented;
11. All state agencies responsible to the Governor are directed, and all other public entities are
      requested, to assist the Division of Human Resources in discharging its responsibilities under this
      order;
12. Nothing in this order shall be deemed to abrogate any existing policy or directive relating to alcohol or
      drug use by state employees or to affect any existing or future state employee disciplinary
      proceeding; and

Where federal laws or regulations require the State to implement more stringent regulations than those contained in this policy, those federal regulations and procedures supersede and/or augment this policy.

This Executive Order shall cease to be effective four years after its entry into force.

Gold State SealIN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 31st Day of August in the year of our Lord two thousand and seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-second and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred eighteenth.


C.L. "BUTCH" OTTER
GOVERNOR

Ben Ysursa Signature
BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE

(printable PDF file)

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