>From: Indigo Nights <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: drunk volunteer >Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 14:34:15 -0800 > >It's best to approach this strictly from the vantage >point of a liability.  One cannot save an alcoholic or >any other addict until they are ready to do so.  What >you believe may be a wake up call is just as apt to be >an excuse/motivation to have another drink--it's like >telling an overweight person, "You look like hell, you >need to lose weight."  That's a surefire prescription >for a candy bar or twelve. > >It's conceivable that terminating this volunteer may >actually be doing more harm to the collective: >without the opportunity to volunteer, she has more >empty time on her hands to drink and possibly drive. > >Please don't view letting her go as a noble act.  It's >a responsible one. > >However, before you approach her, you have to be >prepared to do a couple of things: > >o  You need to make sure you have a clearly written, >well published, zero-tolerance policy concerning any >form of drugs and/or alcohol in the museum. > >o  It wouldn't hurt to zip it by an employment law >attorney first. > >o  You must apply it fairly and consistently across >the board--that means BOTH employees and volunteers. > >What you determine to be alcohol could be a medical >issue.  First, "one glass" is oft prescribed by >physicians for health reasons. > >Secondly, the odor you smell may be alcohol, but it's >conceivable it could be a combination of other issues. >  The body's ability to metabolize things is not >consistent from one person to the next. > >If you have ruled out all other factors and are >nondiscriminatory in the handling of this matter, it >needs to be swift, smooth, and without further >discussion among staff and volunteers. > >Alcoholism is a disease.  Though often misconstrued as >such, it's not just a weakness of character. As one >would handle all other matters of health, one's >medical status should not be the subject of discussion >among peers and coworkers. > > > > >--- Jenny Rebecca Martin <[log in to unmask]> >wrote: > > On the one hand, I can understand the feeling of > > one's hands being tied by > > small size, small-town politics, and what have you. > > > > On the other, however, I find it hard to believe > > that if more than one > > person is aware of the problem, nothing can be done. > >  The motivating factors > > that have been named -- whether one acts in the name > > of liability or common > > compassion -- far outweigh the reasons to simply let > > it lie.  For both the > > museum's sake and the woman's in question, not to > > mention the number of > > lives that could potentially be saved were she to > > cause an accident or > > something of the such, something needs to be done. > > A number of people have > > provided excellent points on this. > > > > I don't mean to sound overly critical or naive, but > > sometimes the right or > > best thing isn't the popular or politically correct > > thing to do.  Good > > luck -- > > > > The opinions the author expresses are strictly her > > own and not that of her > > employer's. > > > > > ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< > > Jenny Rebecca Martin, Collections Manager > > The Morris Museum                      Phone: > > 973.971.3712 > > 6 Normandy Heights Road                Fax: > > 973.538.0154 > > Morristown, NJ 07960                   Email > > [log in to unmask] > > >===== >Indigo Nights >[log in to unmask] > >Looking for a Job?  Try Got Links?, Your One-Stop Portal >http://victorian.fortunecity.com/stanmer/414 > >========================================================= >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).