HealthFirst

Hey guys - hope you're all enjoying sobriety as I am (15 months into it).

I recently looked to hire someone to help manage a company and it turns out he seems to be a recovering alcoholic (2+ years). I have mixed feelings about it and wanted to get your thoughts. While there are some obvious flaws which all of us humans have, but magnified in some alcoholics, it's nice that he recognizes them after the flaws rear their ugly head and apologizes.

But I wonder, would you lean more towards/away from hiring someone who is battling this disease, or are you neutral? What are your reasons?

Thanks!

GS123

Hiring someone that is a month or two into sobriety for a company that I owned, probably not, someone that is two years into sobriety, I would, I have several friends that are in recovery and after a year or so the chances of relapse have dropped dramatically in addition, it should be relatively easy to tell if he or she goes back to using or if work quality drops. Are you in a right to work state? Some states you can fire people for basically any reason and some you need cause. That may be a factor but someone two years into recovery has shown a lot of resolve and strength, qualities that can certainly be an asset. And as I mentioned, it should be easy to tell if they go back to drinking/drugs.

LBrain

What makes you believe it is a disease in the first place?

You must first understand what addiction is. Then you must understand what a person had to go through to accomplish 2 years clean and sober.
And of course just putting a label on someone as a generality is unfair.

Would you hire someone who spent 20 years in prison for bank robbery but is now reformed? I know it's not the same.

The point is, even though we are lumped into the same category, we are all not the same. Judge a person on his merits and not on a perceived handicap.
I worked with a hundred people who were not alcoholics who I wouldn't hire to stock groceries.

HealthFirst

Just making sure I don't have any blind spots... appreciate the feedback. I'm not judging, I'm trying to stay sober too.

GS123

And one more thing. Not really answering your question but kudos to you for seriously considering hiring him/her, many would just generalize and move on to the next person, as mentioned, every person is different, I would hire based on the person.

Carlotta

Just wanted to point out that this is exactly why people should be really discreet about their alcoholism and being in recovery. Healthfirst is in recovery too but is hesitant to hire another sober alcoholic.

Soberwolf

Yes i would hire a person i wouldnt know they are alcoholic and are in recovery unless they told me and even then i still would

esinger

Wouldn't have and didn't when I was a manager. I was a hypocrite cause I was going home and getting loaded every day. I guess now it would depend on if they were the best person for the job. We all have skeletons in our closet. Why should the fact that we once drank too much make us less qualified than a person then say an ex-smoker?

bookmaven

Is there some other reason you are hesitant to hire this person besides that he is in recovery? I don't think that is fair. Is he competent, trustworthy, and have a good work ethic? I feel there is something more to this than what you've shared with us, at least I'm having a hard time understanding what the problem is.

MelindaFlowers

Sometimes I think that people who've been through recovery and have some good recovery time are sometimes more wise than people who've never been through recovery.

Marcher13

Although I run a business I can't answer the survey, not because I'm "indifferent" to the question but I don't know if I would employ a recovering alcoholic simply because I'd want to know a lot more than that about the person. Being in recovery wouldn't swing me one way or the other.

Looking at the recovering alcoholics here at SR (I'm one of them), there are a great many I would happily employ and then there are some I wouldn't.

Carver

I think every person you take on has the potential to be very bad at the job, alcoholic or not.

I hired a very well qualified dentist once. Quickly discovered that he was drinking a lot of vodka at lunch. This man was doing root treatments drunk!

Two years sobriety shows strength, character and determination. I would. IF he was right for the job

Notimetoloose

Absolutely, I have and I do...I did not know that my key person was in recovery till one day when we were talking and he told me and I thought well there you go, what a gem...
....( I keep my addictions and recovery very close to my chest.)

..I also believe that we can successfully break free from our addictions...

Now having said that..I have to tell you that some of the most incompetent people I have worked with have been free of all addiction issues and never had a problem with drugs or alcohol. They have just been personality nightmares and incompetent.

Check out "The anonymous people" people with past and present addictions are literally running countries, hold top and leading positions in the top multinational companies.

2WheelsGood

Tough question. I'm all for second chances and personal redemption. It's one of the thing that makes up human. We can all change, and change for the better is a sign of growth and maturity.

On the other hand, if that was one of the first things brought up in the interview I'd have to raise an eyebrow. If their personal identity was so wrapped up in their recovery I'd wonder how the effects would bleed over into the job performance.

I guess I'd prefer for it to go this way: the interview goes well and they seem like a great candidate. When I ask for an example of overcoming a challenge they'd bring up their recovery. They'd mention their progress, milestones, and some setbacks if applicable. Then we'd move on.

I agree with the others that I'd be more apt to hire a recovering addict with a year under their belt than one with 2 weeks.

Venecia

BIngo.

BadSneakers

If you are in the U.S. make sure you have reviewed current ADA/EEOC guidelines. I'm not an HR professional, but I'm thinking this treads dangerously into ADA violation territory.

Delfin

Excellent point, Carlotta. I have never told anyone about my drinking or my recovery, and I don't think I ever will.

Delfin

PurpleKnight

Sometimes I don't get the whole sharing of medical records in the US or other places, I have never acknowledged to an employer my history with alcohol, and as an employer where I come from must gain my consent to see my medical records, I would know about it, and it hasn't as yet happened, maybe it's just the jobs I'm employed in!!

But I agree, privacy can solve soo many problems when it comes to a history with alcohol!!

Zufrieden

I agree that the length of time sober seems to be a good indicator. Several key people in my business are in recovery but they are all pretty far in.
I have hired some folks newly in recovery only to watch them thrive for a bit and then descend back into whatever their addiction was.
I also agree with one of the posts that speaks to the gained "wisdom" in some former drinkers. My recovery folks do seem to have grown greatly from their struggles and I enjoy being around them.
Jonathan

Zufrieden

P.S. My response above must be noted as somewhat hypocritical since every alcoholic I have hired has had more sobriety than I currently do unless they stopped yesterday
Just putting it out there...