# 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:** 7
**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 24, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/121 "2017-06-24T02:29:43Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’ve put down 4 litres of homebrew in a night more than a few times. _converts to pints_ _dozes off_ Wut¿ ETA nothing important ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/122 "2017-06-24T13:09:34Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Could you test yourself using a Breathalyzer? > And perhaps do the same test at work to stamp out the rumours… Would enough time have passed for this to be safe? Side note: we have people using and around heavy equipment, so I don’t think we’ve had a week where someone wasn’t fired for failing a Breathalyzer. The frequent cry is “That’s from last night…” ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/123 "2017-06-24T14:47:58Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Manager’s generally aren’t stupid. As a manager, if someone came to me with a complaint about about a person drinking, I would have done the same thing - although I might have also been tempted to talk to you about something unrelated to see for myself without letting you know. Then having seen you were clearly sober my reservations would shift to the shit stirrer who had reported you. Not much I could do but they would be the marked ones, not you. That sort of action is totally uncalled for, and I would have big problems with it if it was in my team. I would be watching your colleague very carefully, not you, This is my thought as well. The boss knows more about everyone there than you do, and it is quite likely that the tipster is known to be a trouble-maker. The boss had to have a conversation with you to figure things out and make sure, that is all. Stop worrying about it and move on. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/124 "2017-06-24T18:48:16Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Could you test yourself using a Breathalyzer? > And perhaps do the same test at work to stamp out the rumours… Jesus H Christ, do not become the weird guy who shows up at work with a Breathalyzer and tests himself daily while announcing it to the office. The ‘cure’ of appearing dangerously insane is much worse than the ‘disease’ of a boss asking a question one time. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/125 "2017-06-24T19:17:50Z")
The bottom line issue is how much stress our op is under in general. He’s feeling overwhelmed and even one more drop is big deal when the cup already is running over. Likely his behavior _has_ been “off” for his norm, due to the stress he is experiencing, and that “off” behavior is more what got someone worried that he might be drinking before work more than any smell on his breath. Likely if he was not under that much other stress someone asking him if he had been drinking would be just shrugged off as it should be, instead of becoming something to obsess over, something that makes him not sleep, and something that potentially makes him appear as one who doth protest too much. And having a drink to deal with that stress is not likely a good idea. The likely perception **Leaffan** is that you are acting differently than you normally do and whoever it was who said something may be less a troublemaking asshole than someone who is concerned and went to what they have other experience with as their conclusion. You’ve worked with this team, most of them, a while now? Realistically someone saying that they thought you might have been drinking once is not going to offset whatever opinion they have of you based on their past experiences … for better or worse of course. And that includes your manager. A manager who is told by one employee that another might be drinking who does not do a minimum of speaking with the employee of whom the allegation in order to assess the allegation would be being negligent of their duty. No matter how crazy they think the accusation is. No idea what is stressing you so, gotta be more than selling your house. If you’ve shared I’ve not read. Sorry. But best wishes and hopes for you to get ahead of your stressors soon. ---
**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 24, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/126 "2017-06-24T20:54:27Z")
A lot of bang on observations in there DSaid. Along with the house there are many other things piling on my back. Some I’ve discussed here and some I haven’t. I’m almost at a breaking point, and this is a relatively new job: 5 months. I just hope I can pull it back together and keep it that way. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/127 "2017-06-24T23:42:55Z")
**Leaffan** feel free to share here or in one of the other threads (MMP, rants, start a new one) about some of what is going on if a sympathetic ear would help. As a group we’re usually pretty good at being supportive. Moving and new jobs are both considered some of the most stressful things that can happen to a person, and you got them happening at the same time. (If I remember correctly, you’ve got 1-2 more of the top 5 happening too.) You might consider talking to your doctor about the stress you’re under and ask for assistance. There are a range of things that could help you, from medication, to lifestyle changes, to tai chi, to meditation, to a counselor. Things won’t be this hard forever, but it might be a good idea to look for some help while they are. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/128 "2017-06-24T23:46:11Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > A lot of bang on observations in there DSaid. Along with the house there are many other things piling on my back. > Some I’ve discussed here and some I haven’t. > I’m almost at a breaking point, and this is a relatively new job: 5 months. > I just hope I can pull it back together and keep it that way. > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk The old joke in medical circles for times like that is “all bleeding stops eventually …” Yeah, it doesn’t help, I know. Not a shock that physician suicide rates (especially during residency) are depressingly [high](http://abcnews.go.com/Health/medical-students-death-highlights-high-rates-physician-suicides/story?id=47006198). If venting here helps I think I can speak for many of us in saying that we are happy to listen. Nothing wrong with seeing a therapist to learn some stress management techniques and get some support. Or calling up an old friend. OTOH, as goofy as it may sound, if that is not for you, or even if it is, even a little bit of exercise every day is pretty effective medicine for stress, anxiety, and even mild depression. Nothing miraculous but it really [does help](https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/how-exercise-can-calm-anxiety/?_r=0). Good luck and hang in there. For my sake, my dad had been a boxer and was big on pounding into us that we should expect to get knocked down to the canvas lots of times; we win just by getting up one more time than we are knocked down. I don’t know why that had such meaning to me in my life but it has. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/129 "2017-06-30T22:50:19Z")
I think leaffan is reading more into this than there is. The manager needs to do his due diligence just in case the accusation is correct. So he called you in for a conversation to see if it had any validity (reactions, smell, etc.). If he thought the accusations had legs you probably would have been sent home for the day or tested immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/130 "2017-07-01T00:56:00Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Thanks. I guess I will let it drop, although I get this conflict between saying nothing, implied guilt, and vehemently defending myself, doth protest too much. I wouldn’t. Frankly, I’d go back to the boss that called you on the carpet and tell them you want to fill a grievance against the person who reported you. If they balk, tell them that is what your lawyer suggested you do. Wouldn’t hurt to have a lawyer read to go, either. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/131 "2017-07-01T00:59:40Z")
> [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser](#): > > The fact that your bosses told you that someone said you smelled like you had been drinking doesn’t necessarily mean it’s literal. It could be just that old trick to make people confess. > > It may not be even necessarily a coworker’s doing. Maybe they are using the same tactic with several people in the office. AGREED! I’d take it as a clue about company culture. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2017, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/132 "2017-07-01T01:25:50Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I wouldn’t. Frankly, I’d go back to the boss that called you on the carpet and tell them you want to fill a grievance against the person who reported you. If they balk, tell them that is what your lawyer suggested you do. > > Wouldn’t hurt to have a lawyer read to go, either. There are not enough rolley eyes on the planet. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/133 "2017-07-01T09:41:53Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I can see it now: “Hey boss, you know Fred said my breath smelled of alcohol when I hadn’t been drinking? Well, it turns out that that’s a sign of diabetes so I’ve booked myself in for a test today. I’ll update you tomorrow.” > > ETA IIRC stress can affect diabetes. This is exactly what I would do. Anecdotally, though, and I can smell booze (normal or metabolized at approximately .00001 PPM, heh, it’s my useless superpower) from a mile away, the only people I’ve regularly detected a boozy smell from…they all were either closet nippers or had general organ failure of some sort (liver or pancreatic, usually). Sounds weird, but I can also smell when people have a fever (it’s super easy with kids) or if they have bacterial bronchitis. There are a few others I have a decent chance at assisting with before they get too bad. Of course, intestinal issues have characteristic odors that almost anyone can identify after a few exposures, and I think skin and (close to surface) cancers have a certain odor. Some people must just be kind of attuned to these things. I certainly never studied to be diagnostic. But seriously, if someone is _regularly_ smelling booze on you, you might be partaking a bit more than you think, or having a slow metabolism where that’s concerned, or having some sort of endocrine issue. Any way you slice it, I wouldn’t just shrug this off completely. But I am sorry that you may be getting dinged at work. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/134 "2017-07-01T13:11:54Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > Anecdotally, though, and I can smell booze (normal or metabolized at approximately .00001 PPM, heh, it’s my useless superpower) from a mile away, the only people I’ve regularly detected a boozy smell from…they all were either closet nippers or had general organ failure of some sort (liver or pancreatic, usually). Sounds weird, but I can also smell when people have a fever (it’s super easy with kids) or if they have bacterial bronchitis. Are you a Labrador Retriever? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/135 "2017-07-01T14:01:08Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Are you a Labrador Retriever? Well duh. That’s why if we are suspecting closet alcohol use or organ failure we ask for a Lab test. (Trauma OTOH gets the Persian feline for a CAT exam.) ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/136 "2017-07-01T14:35:50Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I think leaffan is reading more into this than there is. The manager needs to do his due diligence just in case the accusation is correct. So he called you in for a conversation to see if it had any validity (reactions, smell, etc.). If he thought the accusations had legs you probably would have been sent home for the day or tested immediately. Intellectually perhaps yes, reading too much into it, and that might be a useful perspective to give. But if it happened to me, and I’m only imagining it, I think I’d find it similarly hard to brush it off. And, while the whole situation of work wasn’t described (a six of one half dozen of another job and you just get one somewhere else, or an investment of time and effort in this company, though small, to move up eventually?), this could be just bad news. There’s a large gray area between an accusation that’s wholly believed and totally screws the accused, and one which is so outlandish it just makes the accuser look crazy or evil and doesn’t damage the accused’s reputation at all. It’s easy, unfortunately, to have one’s reputation damaged. But I’m firmly on the side of the advice saying let it go in terms of any formal response like letters or ‘grievances’ or mentioning lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/137 "2017-07-03T01:57:10Z")
Update? How all is well. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/138 "2017-07-04T13:09:55Z")
Still here. I have applied elsewhere though. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/139 "2017-07-04T13:33:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Still here. I have applied elsewhere though. > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk Yeah that’s the job status update. How you doing? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577/140 "2017-07-04T13:58:48Z")
> [@Elemenopy](#): > > This is exactly what I would do. > > Anecdotally, though, and I can smell booze (normal or metabolized at approximately > .00001 PPM, heh, it’s my useless superpower) from a mile away, the only people I’ve regularly detected a boozy smell from…they all were either closet nippers or had general organ failure of some sort (liver or pancreatic, usually). Sounds weird, but I can also smell when people have a fever (it’s super easy with kids) or if they have bacterial bronchitis. There are a few others I have a decent chance at assisting with before they get too bad. Of course, intestinal issues have characteristic odors that almost anyone can identify after a few exposures, and I think skin and (close to surface) cancers have a certain odor. Some people must just be kind of attuned to these things. I certainly never studied to be diagnostic. > > But seriously, if someone is _regularly_ smelling booze on you, you might be partaking a bit more than you think, or having a slow metabolism where that’s concerned, or having some sort of endocrine issue. Any way you slice it, I wouldn’t just shrug this off completely. But I am sorry that you may be getting dinged at work. Wow, I have a good sense of smell, and have certainly noticed a few infections on other people by their odor, but I can’t come close to what you describe. (I could smell intestinal bugs going through the family, my husband’s infected tooth, and flu on myself. And yes, I smell booze (today’s) and cigarettes on people. But cancer? Yesterday’s booze? Fever? Nope.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-rather-upset-about-work-someone-reported-me-for-drinking-on-the-job/789577.md?page=8)