An employee who is an alcoholic and has a horrible incident in front of clients: can he be terminated for cause?

An employee who is an alcoholic and has a horrible incident in front of clients: can he be terminated for cause?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only after warnings
• D. It depends on attendance

Answer: (B)

Thing being tested is that alcoholism can be a disability and employers must accommodate an employee with a disability before considering dismissal for cause. Termination for cause isn’t automatic simply because a serious incident occurred; the employer must first assess whether the employee can be accommodated to perform the essential duties. In practice this means looking at steps like treatment, leave for recovery, and any reasonable adjustments to duties or scheduling. A single embarrassing incident does not by itself justify just‑cause dismissal if the employee is willing to seek help and the employer can reasonably accommodate them. Only if the employee refuses treatment or if the conduct persists despite accommodation, or if there is an intolerable safety risk that cannot be mitigated, would termination for cause become appropriate.

Thing being tested is that alcoholism can be a disability and employers must accommodate an employee with a disability before considering dismissal for cause. Termination for cause isn’t automatic simply because a serious incident occurred; the employer must first assess whether the employee can be accommodated to perform the essential duties. In practice this means looking at steps like treatment, leave for recovery, and any reasonable adjustments to duties or scheduling. A single embarrassing incident does not by itself justify just‑cause dismissal if the employee is willing to seek help and the employer can reasonably accommodate them. Only if the employee refuses treatment or if the conduct persists despite accommodation, or if there is an intolerable safety risk that cannot be mitigated, would termination for cause become appropriate.