HEALTH, SAFETY, AND SECURITY
Non-Smoking
Smoking may be permitted in any Company buildings, facilities, work sites or vehicles. Employees wishing to smoke should do so during their break times in designated areas, and in accordance with local ordinances.
Drug and Alcohol
The Company is dedicated to providing employees with a workplace that is free of drugs and alcohol. The Company discourages drug and alcohol abuse by its employees. The Company has a vital interest in maintaining safe and efficient working conditions for its employees. Substance abuse is incompatible with health, safety, efficiency and success at the Company. Employees who have any detectible amounts of drugs or alcohol while on the job compromise Company interests, endanger the employee’s own health and safety and the health and safety of others. This can cause a number of other work-related problems, including absenteeism and tardiness, substandard job performance, increased workloads for coworkers, behavior that disrupts other employees, delays in the completion of jobs, inferior quality in our products and disruption of customer relations. Any identified usage of drugs or alcohol, or any detectible amount during working hours will be grounds for discipline, up to and including termination. The Company has a zero tolerance policy regarding drugs and alcohol.
For the safety of our employees and clients the Company reserves the right to test any employee for the use of illegal drugs, marijuana or alcohol under state, federal or local laws. This may be done in cases where the employee’s job carries a risk of injury or accident due to such use, or there is an apparent inability to perform the duties required of that position. Specific jobs may, at the Company’s discretion, require regular drug testing. Such a test may be conducted after an accident or with probable cause of impairment while on the job. Under those circumstances the employee may be driven to a certified lab, at the Company’s expense, for the drug test.
Any employee found to use, sell, possess or distribute any illegal drugs under state, federal or local laws, marijuana, or any unauthorized drugs (including excessive quantities of prescription or over-the-counter drugs) while on the Company premises, performing Company-related duties, or while operating any Company equipment, is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Any suspected illegal drug confiscated will be turned over to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Any employee taking medication should consult a medical professional to determine whether the drug may affect their personal safety or ability to perform the essential functions of the job and should advise their supervisor or manager of any job limitations. Upon notification of job limitations, the Company will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the limitation.
The moderate use of alcohol at Company approved meetings, with business meals, travel, and entertainment or in an appropriate social setting, is not prohibited by this policy.
to the extent any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation limits or prohibits the application of any provision of this policy, then to the minimum extent necessary and only for that geographical area, this policy is deemed to be amended in compliance.
Georgia State Liquor Law
It is important that employees generally understand that laws that govern the Company’s business as it pertains to the selling of alcoholic beverages. Failing strict adherence to such laws can result in immediate termination. Employees should familiarize themselves with the following
Civil Liability – Liability that allows individual to file lawsuits against licensees, social host, and companies or corporations that improperly sere or provide alcohol to a person who then cause damage or injury. Civil liability laws usually fall under one or three types: Dram Shop laws, common negligence law, social host law. Penalties for civil liability are monetary.
Criminal Liability - Liability, which allows the state to file criminal charges against licensees, individuals, employees, employers, etc. for liquor law violations including those resulting in damages or injury. Penalties for criminal liability often include fine and/or jail time.
Administrative Liability - Liability that allows the sate licensing authority to administer fines and suspensions or revocations of liquor licenses. These administrative penalties result from violations of the state and local laws governing alcohol licensing. The revocation or even suspension of a license can be the end of the Company.
Georgia Dram Shop Laws
O.C.G.A. 51-1-40 (a) ("The General Assembly finds and declares that the consumption of alcoholic beverages, rather than the sale or furnishing or serving of such beverages, is the proximate cause of any injury, including death and property damage, inflicted by an intoxicated person upon himself or upon another person, except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Code section").
O.C.G.A. 51-1-40 (b) ("A person who sells, furnishes, or serves alcoholic beverages to a person of lawful drinking age shall not thereby become liable for injury, death, or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such person, including injury or death to other persons; provided, however, a person who willfully, knowingly, and Ui'\lawfully sells, furnishes, or serves alcoholic beverages to a person who is not of lawful drinking age, knowing that such person will soon be driving a motor vehicle, or who knowingly sells, furnishes, or serves alcoholic beverages to a person who is in a state of noticeable intoxication, knowing that such person will soon be driving a motor vehicle, may become liable for injury or damage caused by or resulting from the intoxication of such minor or person when the sale, furnishing, or serving is the proximate cause of such injury or damage.").
O.C.G.A. 51-1-40 (c)( In determining whether the sale, furnishing, or serving of alcoholic beverages to a person not of legal drinking age is done willfully, knowingly, and unlawfully as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, evidence that the person selling, furnishing, or serving alcoholic beverages had been furnished with and acted in reliance on identification as defined in subsection (d) of Code Section 3-3-23 showing that the person to whom the alcoholic beverages were sold, furnished, or served was 21 years of age or older shall constitute rebuttable proof that the alcoholic beverages were not sold, furnished, or served willfully, knowingly, and unlawfully)".
O.C.G.A 51-1-40 (d) No person who owns, leases, or otherwise lawfully occupies a premises, except a premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages, shall be liable to any person who consumes alcoholic beverages on the premises in the absence of and without the consent of the owner, lessee, or lawful occupant or to any other person, or to the estate or survivors of either, for any injury or death suffered on or off the premises, including damage to property, caused by the intoxication of the person who consumed the alcoholic beverages.
Reasonable Accommodations
It is the policy of the Company to comply with all the relevant and applicable provisions of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as state and local laws concerning the employment of persons with disabilities. The Company will not discriminate against any qualified employee or job applicant because of a person’s physical or mental disability with respect to any terms, privileges or conditions of employment, including, but not limited to hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation and training.
Employees who become disabled should notify administration if the conditions of the disability impair their ability to perform the essential functions of their position. Where necessary and feasible, reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified disabled employees to perform the essential functions of the job in question, as long as the accommodation does not cause the Company undue hardship.
All employees are required to comply with safety standards. Applicants who pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace, which threats cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation, will not be hired. Current employees who pose a direct threat to the health of safety of the other individuals in the workplace will be placed on appropriate leave until a decision has been made by management in regard to the employee’s immediate employment situation.
Safety
In the event an employee becomes injured or witnesses an injury during working hours, they must report it immediately to the nearest available supervisor or manager. Employees are to render any assistance requested by supervisor, manager or designee. Any questions asked by law enforcement or fire officials making an investigative report should be answered giving only factual information and avoiding speculation. Liability for personal injury or property damage should never be admitted in answering an investigatory question asked by law enforcement or fire officials. Employees should report all nonfunctioning, hazardous equipment to the nearest supervisor or manager.
Workers’ Compensation
The Company provides insurance for all work-related injuries or illness. The carrier governs all insurance benefits provided by the Company. These contracts shall not be limited, expanded or modified by any statements of Company personnel or Company documents. Any discrepancies shall be determined by reference to the insuring contracts.
Workplace Violence and Security
It is the intent of the Company to provide a safe workplace for employees and to provide a comfortable and secure atmosphere for customers and others with whom the Company does business. The Company has zero tolerance for violent acts or threats of violence.
The Company expects all employees to conduct themselves in a non-threatening, non-abusive manner at all times. No direct, conditional or veiled threat of harm to any employee or Company property will be considered acceptable behavior. Acts of violence or intimidation of others will not be tolerated. Any employee who commits, or threatens to commit, a violent act against any person while on Company premises, will be subject to immediate discharge.
Employees within the Company share the responsibility in identification and alleviation of threatening or violent behaviors. Any employee who is subjected to or threatened with violence, or who is aware of another individual who has been subjected to or threatened with violence, should immediately report this information to their supervisor, manager or designee. Any threat reported will be carefully investigated and employee confidentiality will be maintained to the fullest extent possible.