California as a state earned a reputation for regulation. The state comes up with new ways of doing things every day, it seems. This applies to longshoring and stevedoring, too.
As a business, you must keep abreast of current regulations and implement business procedures that create compliance. You also have to keep up with new regulations, set the timeline for implementation, and create and implement new business procedures. There’s an in-between, too. You must monitor ongoing legislation that may or may not pass. You especially need to understand the concept of reasonable suspicion regarding the use of drugs and/or alcohol in the workplace and how to address it.
How do you do this?
You could hire an individual who specializes in compliance, but that will cost you a new line item in your budget. Funding this salary costs you about $68,000 annually, the median salary for this position. When you are hired for this position, you obtain an individual who handles all aspects of compliance, including acting as liaison between your company and the appropriate administrative agencies. This person undergoes specialized training and handles all investigations of suspected drug or alcohol use/abuse in your company.
You could also try to do it yourself. That could take over your entire workday though, since a good reason exists that this position exists as a standalone. You have a business to run and that has to come first – day-to-day operations.
Our Suggestion: Virtual Courses
Try cross-training your staff to better understand compliance regarding reasonable suspicion. This doesn’t have to mean taking a day to close the office or sending everyone to a physical training session. At West Coast Resource Services, Inc., we offer online courses that your employees can take on a schedule you set. They can complete these trainings during business downtime, or you can schedule them in a staggered fashion, so your operations undergo no impediment. Your employees and you can take the following classes online:
Reasonable Suspicion Assessment Training, 35 Lessons, $195.00
Reasonable Suspicion Assessment Coaching , 2 Lessons, $350.00
Reasonable Suspicion Assessment Training and Coaching, both of the above courses for $430.00.
When your employees all undergo the training, they better understand what they may have noticed in co-workers. They also may recognize themselves in the training and seek self-help.
By training your complete staff, you ensure that you have a well-trained, seasoned employee who can spot problems on the job each day. If one individual on the docks calls in sick, you still have a multitude of employees who understand what they’re seeing and can act quickly to address the issue, so your company remains in compliance.