GNYADA November 2017 Newsletter

AlliedMember Memo

Identifying Substance Abuse Protects Your Employees and Your Business 7

grams also create a culture of com- passion and understanding within your business. Learn how to identify an overdose Abuse of opiate-based drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, hydrocodone, and other pain medications, continues to rise in New York State. Along with that comes the trend of life-threaten- ing overdoses. By training your employees to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, perform CPR, and administer emergency narcotic overdose treatments, you may save a person’s life. This article was provided by Have Dummy Will Travel, Inc., a GNYADA Allied Member providing dealers with CPR, AED, and first aid training and equipment. Have Dummy Will Travel, Inc. can assist with educating your employees about recognizing signs of addiction, identifying an opiate overdose, and administering life-saving techniques and medication. Opioid overdose classes (including Narcan kits) are offered at dealerships free of charge.

have EAPs for their members.)

A study of the impact of drugs in the American workplace found that addiction accounts for annual losses of over $81 billion in decreased pro- ductivity, employee absenteeism, accidents, and other related costs. If a dealership employee is battling addic- tion, certain steps will help protect the individual and his/her coworkers, pre- vent accidents and damage, and safe- guard the dealer against liability. Have a policy that identifies drug abuse but encourages rehabilitation An optimal drug policy includes ran- domized drug testing, an additional testing regimen for recovering employees returning to work, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). These programs can help your employees with a number of mental health services, including addiction treatment. Rehabilitation may be more successful if an employee knows that, if (s)he voluntarily enters into a pro- gram, (s)he will have a job when (s)he graduates. (Consider reaching out to unions as some may already The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review whether dealership service advisers fall within the federal “salesmen, partsmen, and mechanics” exemption for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In 2015, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found service advisers at Encino Motorcars in California were entitled to overtime because they are neither salesmen nor mechanics. The Supreme Court rejected the lower court’s ruling — conflicting with previous rulings which found that 8

Learn signs of addiction Knowing the hallmark signs of alco- hol or drug abuse can help dealers recognize if an employee is strug- gling. Look for two or more of the following: Frequent lateness or unexplained absence. Lower work performance, especially in the morning. Frequent small accidents resulting in minor injuries or breakage. Unusual physical symptoms or behaviors (unsteady gait, sudden weight loss, dental problems, bloodshot eyes, long sleeves on hot days). Decreased hygiene/less attention to appearance. Paranoia/overreaction to criticism. Frequent job changes. Drug awareness programs may help your employees identify a coworker with addiction issues, so that help can be gotten for the individual. Such pro- n n n n n n n service advisers are OT-exempt — and asked them to reconsider. The lower court did not arrive at a different decision, meaning the Supreme Court will now decide the issue. This legal distinction has been closely monitored by GNYADA and NADA, who have long asserted that, while service advisers are technically not salesman or mechanics, they function very similarly to salespeople, with regard to commissions, interaction with customers, etc., and should

therefore be exempt from overtime. NADA anticipates that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of the dealer, representing a meaningful victory for all dealers who have applied the overtime exemption to their service advisers for decades. Supreme Court to Review Service Adviser OT Case

Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association • www.gnyada.com

The Newsletter • November 2017

6

Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker