# I'm rather upset about work. Someone reported me for drinking on the job. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 21, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577 "2017-06-21T23:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/41 "2017-06-22T11:34:00Z")
So your two beer equalled a litre of beer? Two beer sounds like not much, a litre of beer sounds like more somehow! ❤ Anyway, all you need do is keep a supply of breath mints in your car, and pop one every morning before going in! There you go, problem solved! Regardless, I would make dead certain of two things; I would let no one know this upset me, in any way. Smile and shrug, let it go. And secondly, abandon the idea you know who did this. You’re probably wrong, for one, and if you’re going to pull off not looking upset, you’ll have to let go of this part too. Any inability to shrug this off, on either point, is going to make people think there’s more to this. Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/42 "2017-06-22T11:47:36Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > They first said “Have you been drinking?” > > Which I shockingly denied. > > Then they told me that someone said I smelled like I was drinking. > > Which I shockingly denied. Then I told them the absolute honest truth, that I had two beers the night before, one with supper and one after supper. Complete truth. I have no reason to lie on an anonymous message board. > > The last gulp of beer I had (mixed with Clamato) may have been as late as 10:00 or 11:00 at night. > > I wasn’t keeping track. > > I feel I should send them a CYA email tomorrow, but beats the fuck out of me what to do. Telling them you had two beers the night before was a mistake. It was none of their business and sounds like a lame excuse. But it’s too late to do anything about that now. I think you do need to write a letter, I don’t know what to put in it except a flat out denial that you were drinking that day and that you’ve never been drinking or drunk on the job. I don’t know what kind of asshole makes an accusation like that. And it sounds like you’re working for assholes also if they’d take someone’s statement like that as a reason to confront you. Your life is stressful enough right now and adding a job change into the mix is the last thing you’ll want at the moment but it’s something you’ll have to consider for the future. I don’t know how the laws work up there north of the border but I’d consider contacting a lawyer if your employment suffers as a result of this incident. In the future if someone asks you if you’ve been drinking the answer is “Absolutely not. I don’t drink on the job and never have.” ---
**Author:** ![miketx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@miketx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miketx)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/43 "2017-06-22T11:48:56Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > This morning I got called into a meeting room at like 9:00 AM where I was asked flat out " Have you been drinking?" > > What! > > In all honesty I had 2 beers last night and although they were 500 ml and mixed with Clamato, I probably had my last swig at something like 10:00 PM last night! > > This bothers me on multiple levels. Something like 10 hours had passed since I had a drink, AND it seriously was only two 500 ml, 6.5% beers. > > OK. I don’t eat breakfast, and I didn’t have a morning coffee, so maybe, just maybe if you’re Superman or something you detected something on my breath, but holy shit that was awkward. > And now, of course, I’m pissed off that this happened. > I know exactly who it was because he’s the only one I talked to first thing in the morning. > I don’t know how to forgive this jackass or get over it. > I sit at a desk. I’m not operating heavy machinery, and REALLY, two beers like 10 hours previously? > Fucking asshole. > > I was already on shaky ground with shit going on in my life: selling house, etc. > > We’re a small group of 25ish people, and now 4 or 5 of them think I’m drinking in the morning at, or before work. > > Lovely. > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk Find out where they live. Put this in their yard. [![](https://1023thebullfm.com/files/2015/12/Capture10.jpg) ](https://1023thebullfm.com/files/2015/12/Capture10.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/44 "2017-06-22T12:00:12Z")
Thanks for the replies. It sounds like I should just keep quiet and let it slide at this point. And **Elbows** , I know exactly who it was because I only talked to one person up close as the regular printer was down and I needed to figure out how to install another network printer, which I hadn’t used before. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/45 "2017-06-22T12:44:28Z")
I feel bad for you because it’s a shitty thing to have happen and I don’t see a good way to deal with it. let it slide, probably, but it’s so unfair. also, there are a lot of asshole replies in this thread seems to me :dubious: anyway, good luck - have you considered just straight up asking the one co-worker you think it was? Hey, did you say I smelled like I’d been drinking? because I don’t see how that could be. if you can be casual about it, rather than defensive. maybe there is no good plan. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/46 "2017-06-22T13:02:54Z")
I hope things will be okay for you at work. Wishing you luck. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/47 "2017-06-22T13:05:08Z")
Is it possible that you spilt something alcoholic on your clothes? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/48 "2017-06-22T13:05:52Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > 1. Is it possible there is something going on with your health that makes your breath smell like alcohol even when you haven’t been drinking recently? When one hasn’t eaten in some time the body can produce ketones, which can smell like alcohol on the breath. Eating some breakfast should eliminate this as a possibility/recurrence of what happened. > [@](#): > > [Ketosis is a mild form of ketoacidosis, and it’s not necessarily harmful. You can be in ketosis if you’re on a low-carbohydrate diet **or fasting** , or if you have consumed too much alcohol.](http://www.healthline.com/health/ketosis-vs-ketoacidosis#overview1) How many hours was it since your last intake? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/49 "2017-06-22T13:18:45Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > When one hasn’t eaten in some time the body can produce ketones, which can smell like alcohol on the breath. Eating some breakfast should eliminate this as a possibility/recurrence of what happened. > > How many hours was it since your last intake? Even if that is the case no one has any business reporting someone for drinking based on their amateur analysis of a person’s breath. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/50 "2017-06-22T13:26:04Z")
Except, as already pointed out, ‘Someone said they smelt booze on your breath.’, could sooo easily be what the boss said just to keep from revealing how he _really_ got the idea. It’s a big mistake to jump on who you assume it is, based on this statement, in my humble opinion. Getting het up about it could prove an tactical error, proceed cautiously. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/51 "2017-06-22T13:34:13Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Except, as already pointed out, ‘Someone said they smelt booze on your breath.’, could sooo easily be what the boss said just to keep from revealing how he _really_ got the idea. It’s a big mistake to jump on who you assume it is, based on this statement, in my humble opinion. Getting het up about it could prove an tactical error, proceed cautiously. That’s the problem here. The OP doesn’t know who, if anyone made this claim. There could be all sorts of underhanded backstabbing activity going on. ---
**Author:** ![quimper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7c8e57/32.png) [@quimper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quimper)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/52 "2017-06-22T13:58:20Z")
We’re in a low-trust era and the ice floes are shrinking. I’m not surprised by this story in the slightest. OP, listen and observe everything and above all, **do not retaliate** since HR is on alert and you’ve lost the first strike advantage. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/53 "2017-06-22T14:02:52Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Telling them you had two beers the night before was a mistake. It was none of their business and sounds like a lame excuse. But it’s too late to do anything about that now. I think you do need to write a letter, I don’t know what to put in it except a flat out denial that you were drinking that day and that you’ve never been drinking or drunk on the job. Dear lord if you want to keep your job don’t write letters, you’re putting things down in writing that they pretty much have to respond to and blowing the situation up into formal, written complaints instead of a minor incident that has good odds of not even being on paper. Letters aren’t going to make anything better, and can make things worse by escalating a minor verbal investigation into something written and formal, or by convincing the company that you’re planning to sue them. > [@](#): > > I don’t know what kind of asshole makes an accusation like that. And it sounds like you’re working for assholes also if they’d take someone’s statement like that as a reason to confront you. How are the bosses ‘assholes’ for choosing to ‘confront’ him like that? It sounds like the boss was told something, boss asks the guy accused of drinking ‘were you drinking’, guy says ‘no’, boss wraps up the situation. Are the only bosses who don’t qualify as ‘assholes’ people who assume that all employees never do anything wrong and dismiss any reports of wrongdoing? “Ask the employee about the situation, then close it out if there’s nothing to it” sounds like the reasonable, non-asshole way to handle most situations like this. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/54 "2017-06-22T14:03:04Z")
> [@quimper](#): > > **do not retaliate** since HR is on alert > [@Leaffan](#): > > No HR. > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/55 "2017-06-22T14:04:03Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Is it possible that you spilt something alcoholic on your clothes? No. > [@Spiderman](#): > > When one hasn’t eaten in some time the body can produce ketones, which can smell like alcohol on the breath. Eating some breakfast should eliminate this as a possibility/recurrence of what happened. > > How many hours was it since your last intake? Of alcohol? 10 hours or so. But no food afterwards. > [@elbows](#): > > Except, as already pointed out, ‘Someone said they smelt booze on your breath.’, could sooo easily be what the boss said just to keep from revealing how he _really_ got the idea. It’s a big mistake to jump on who you assume it is, based on this statement, in my humble opinion. Getting het up about it could prove an tactical error, proceed cautiously. I’m pretty sure I know who it was. No proof. I’m laying low. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/56 "2017-06-22T14:21:41Z")
I agree with the “lay low” plan and try to forget it. Best plan. You don’t want an escalation as mentioned or make a bad move. Use this space to vent, fret and worry, not work. At least you’ll get humorous responses. Mostly. 🙂 Quick question though. Do you use a mouthwash? Sometimes those smell of alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/57 "2017-06-22T14:29:01Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > This explains why you guys took away the start button a while back. Windows Phone:( ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/58 "2017-06-22T14:29:31Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > I agree with the “lay low” plan and try to forget it. Best plan. You don’t want an escalation as mentioned or make a bad move. Use this space to vent, fret and worry, not work. At least you’ll get humorous responses. Mostly. 🙂 > > Quick question though. Do you use a mouthwash? Sometimes those smell of alcohol. Sometimes, but not yesterday. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/59 "2017-06-22T14:32:50Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m pretty sure I know who it was. No proof. I’m laying low. In your shoes I’d wanna know with 100% certainty who it was. Then I’d wait patiently for the day when he had a flat tire (or similar) and I’d whip him the finger as I drove right by without stopping. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/60 "2017-06-22T14:35:42Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > In your shoes I’d wanna know with 100% certainty who it was. Then I’d wait patiently for the day when he had a flat tire (or similar) and I’d whip him the finger as I drove right by without stopping. I’ve got a bad feeling about all this today. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577.md?page=4)