What Employers Need to Know

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) remains one of the most misunderstood issues affecting workplaces today. This session provides a clear, practical, stigma-reducing understanding of SUD as a medical condition, how it may present in the workplace, and why early recognition and supportive pathways matter. This talk will also explore why substance use impacts some industries more than others.

Drawing on years of experience as an Addiction Medicine Physician, MRO, and expert witness in labour arbitrations, tribunals and court cases, Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler will outline the clinical signs of SUD, common workplace presentations, and the legal and safety implications that arise when employees disclose, deny, or attempt to manage substance use on their own. The session will also discuss current, evidence-based treatment options, including medications such as buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, and medications for alcohol use disorder, and how these treatments intersect with workplace fitness-for-duty, safety considerations, and drug testing results. Participants will leave with practical strategies for balancing empathy and accountability, supporting recovery, and maintaining safe operations.