Opioids in the Workplace: Legal and Psychological Perspectives
The opioid crisis affects every aspect of American society, and the workplace is no exception. In examining the impact of the crisis on employers, this session provides a history of the crisis, identifies the clinical issues associated with opioid use, goes over the nuts and bolts of addiction treatment, and discusses the related legal issues that arise , such as drug testing, reasonable accommodations, leave and termination.
Learning Objectives:
- The signs of significant opioid usage and how such usage can affect an employee in the workplace.
- Determining whether opioid usage affects an employee's ability to perform a specific job.
- How addiction treatment works and what role an employer should play in the process.
- Issues that arise from having to accommodate an employee's opioid usage under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- How opioid usage fits into an employer's drug testing regime.
Michael Peter Elkon
Michael Elkon is a partner in the Atlanta office of Fisher Phillips. He helps companies with all manner of employment issues, both by providing advice and also by handling litigation from start to finish. Michael has a number of sub-specialties, including: (1) non-compete and trade secret issues; (2) advice regarding employment agreements; and (3) handling retaliation lawsuits, including under specific whistleblower laws. Michael has been included in Georgia Super Lawyers - Rising Stars or Georgia Super Lawyers every year since 2010. He also worked with the Georgia Legislature regarding the Georgia non-compete statute (HB 173) in the 2009 Legislative Session.
Andrea Gail Levy Elkon
Dr. Andrea Elkon, Ph.D., is the Director of Behavioral Health for Alliance Spine and Pain Centers. Dr. Elkon specializes in Health Psychology and interventional pain management through an integrated mind/body approach. Dr. Elkon completed her Masters and Doctoral degrees at the University of Virginia. Prior to joining Alliance Spine and Pain Centers, Dr. Elkon spent ten years working in public mental health at both the State and Federal levels. Dr. Elkon holds particular expertise in psychological assessment and has conducted thousands of examinations for State and Federal Courts, the Veterans Benefits Administration, correctional facilities, and private medical practices.