Can An Employer Make Someone Abstain From Alcohol?

[Dusty Bin]

After being caught drinking vodka while on a lunch break, a colleague at work was suspended, disciplined and given a final written warning. 3 months later, my colleague was arrested for drink driving, attempted suicide after her arrest on release from custody, was subsequently hospitalised and only returned to work after an absence of 4 weeks. She was then placed on an abstinence programme where she was asked not to touch alcohol for a period of 26 weeks, backdated to the date of her arrest/hospitalisation/suicide attempt/first day of absence. 24 weeks into this programme, she learned her job role was being withdrawn by her employer and she was offered either redundancy or an alternative position which she did not want but felt she had to take for financial reasons. This led her to break her abstinence and have a couple of drinks before going into work for her evening shift. She was reported to her manager by a fellow colleague and has now received notice of an investigatory meeting with regard to her breaching the 26 week abstinence programme.

The colleague has nearly 8 years service, is regarded as an employee with an excellent performance record, but last summer some family issues arose which led to her increased drinking and effective dependence on alcohol to cope with those issues.

My question is a) can an employer ask an employee to sign up to such a programme and b) what will be the possible outcome of this upcoming investigatory meeting.

[PankySmooch]

I work for a company that has a strict no alcohol policy but if you are upfront and confess to having alcohol problems they do still allow you to work