EP 168 - Rethink Firing For Addiction: A Conversation with Sean Morris

Substance abuse shouldn't cost your career. In this eye-opening conversation with marriage and family therapist Sean Morris, we explore how outdated workplace policies around addiction continue to punish rather than help employees struggling with substance use disorders.

 

When companies discover an employee has an addiction, the default response is often immediate termination. But what if there was a more compassionate, effective, and even economically advantageous approach? Drawing from decades of combined experience in addiction medicine and workplace interventions, our guests reveal how "recovery-friendly workplaces" can transform lives while retaining valuable employees.

Dr. Terry Sellers shares his powerful personal journey of facing addiction as a physician, describing how punitive measures like salary reduction only deepened his struggles rather than supporting recovery. We examine how industries like aviation and healthcare have already developed successful models for maintaining safety while supporting recovery—models that any business can adapt.

The conversation highlights a troubling contradiction: companies readily support employees facing cancer or diabetes but often respond to addiction with termination. This approach ignores the medical reality that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing. As Sean explains, "That compassion that is there for these other conditions is needed in this type of struggle as well."

Whether you're an HR professional looking to update outdated policies, someone in recovery concerned about workplace disclosure, or a manager wanting to better support your team, this episode offers practical insights into creating environments where people can heal without losing their livelihoods. Ready to transform how your workplace approaches addiction? Call 385-644-1500 to learn more about implementing recovery-friendly policies that benefit everyone.

We Do Recover Podcast is on Instagram  ⁨@wedorecoverwithjaredmiller9859⁩ 

Link: https://www.instagram.com/wedorecoverwithjaredmiller/?hl=en

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[00:00:00] Intro/The Problem with Zero Tolerance Policies.

[00:08:16] Episode Introduction and Guest Introductions.

[00:22:11] Wasatch Crest Treatment Options.

[00:39:02] HR Policies and Employee Addiction.

[00:55:36] Recovery-Friendly Workplace Approach.

[01:08:22] Creating Compassionate Workplace Cultures.