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One crucial component of creating a safe, productive, and respectful workplace is developing a comprehensive Illegal Drug, Alcohol, and Violence Policy. This policy not only protects the well-being of farmworkers but also safeguards the company's interests and reputation. Here's a detailed guide on what makes a good policy and the essential elements to include, and a free downloadable template for you to use on your farm.

Importance of a Comprehensive Policy

An effective Illegal Drug, Alcohol, and Violence Policy serves multiple purposes:

• ‍Ensures Safety: Reduces the risk of accidents and injuries caused by impaired judgment or violent behavior.‍
• Maintains Productivity: Prevents productivity losses due to substance abuse or disruptive conduct.‍
• Legal Compliance: Helps comply with state and federal laws regarding drug use, workplace violence, and safety standards.‍
• Promotes a Positive Work Environment: Fosters a respectful and professional atmosphere out in the field, enhancing employee morale.
• Encourages Healthy H-2A Housing Conditions: If you have H-2A employees living in company housing, clearly communicating expectations is critical to passing audits, and keeping the peace between workers who rarely get a break from each other.

Critical Elements of an Effective Policy

Clear Definitions and Prohibitions

• Illegal Drugs: Define what constitutes illicit drugs, including drugs without a valid prescription or those used inconsistently with medical guidelines.
• Alcohol: State the prohibition of alcohol use during work hours and the expectations for behavior at company-sponsored events where alcohol is present.
• Violence: Clearly outline what constitutes violent behavior and threats, including both physical and verbal abuse.
• Weapons: Specify the types of weapons prohibited on company property or while conducting company business.

Employee Responsibilities

• Prescription Medications: Employees should inform their mayordomo if prescribed medications could impair their work performance in the field.
• Reporting Issues: Encourage employees to report any substance abuse problems or violent behavior they may be experiencing or witnessing.

Disciplinary Actions

• Consequences: Clearly state the disciplinary actions for policy violations, which may include suspension, termination, or legal action.
• Consistency: Ensure that disciplinary measures are applied consistently across all employees to maintain fairness and credibility. Document these actions every time; you never know if you'll need the records later.

Investigation Procedures

• Reporting Mechanisms: Provide clear instructions on how employees can report violations or concerns, including confidential reporting options. Harvust's training software anonymously asks farmworkers for their concerns at the end of every training. We've seen this used to report drunk driving while on the job before, and it allowed the grower to address the problem before it became an accident.
• Investigation Process: Outline the steps the company will take to investigate reports of policy violations, ensuring a thorough and unbiased approach.

Policy Communication

• Employee Training: Present the policy in writing to employees at the time of hire, so you're setting expectations from the start. Include it in their onboarding packet and get their signature to know it has been seen. When added to a hiring packet on Harvust's onboarding tool, it is visible and easily reviewed during the signing process.
• Accessibility: Make the policy easily accessible to all employees through an employee handbook or posted notices at the worksite, or at H-2A housing sites. On Harvust, you can have a link to the employee's signed policy sent to them via text or Whatsapp, so there is no excuse for them not to reference it.
• Language: Make sure you get whatever policy you have translated into Spanish!

Free Downloadable Template

To help you implement a robust policy, we've worked with our lawyers to create a customizable template. This template includes all the essential components discussed above and allows you to tailor the policy to fit your company's needs. As always, make sure your lawyer looks it over before you roll it out. Harvust Onboarding software includes this template (and more!) in Spanish, and is useable with just a few clicks. Until you become a Harvust customer, you can download it for free!