Jen Olson Staff asked 5 years ago
Date: October 22nd, 2019
Review of the Over-The-Counter & Prescription Drug Policy
Rainbow Rider requires its Safety-Sensitive Employees to submit a Medication Approval Form each time they are prescribed any medication. Anytime you plan on seeing your physician due to illness/injury/scheduled check-up, bring the Medication Approval Form with you. As the employee, you fill out the top half section of the first page, sign and date. Your Physician fills out the remainder of the first page and the first 1/3 of the second page, which he/she can indicate whether or not you can perform your safety-sensitive functions on your prescribed medication. Then, you are to return that form to Tom Partington the day of your appointment or before you come back to work.
If you go in for an emergency and aren’t able to obtain a form prior to getting to the hospital, please let your doctor know to contact Jennifer Olson by phone (1-800-450-7770), or by fax (320-283-5066), or by email (jolson@rainbowriderbus.com) and I will send them a form on your behalf.
The purpose of us having your Medication Approval Form on file is to ensure you are not driving while taking medication that impairs you.
If your doctor signs off that you’re not able to return to work while on said medication, they will indicate the form as such and also state when you will be done with said medication. At that point, you will notify the office that you will need to be taken off of the schedule until you’ve completed your prescription. Each situation will vary, so having conversations with Jen about the process will always help on what the next step is.
Any safety-sensitive employee who fails to report, through the use of the Medication Approval Form, any and all medication prescribed by a physician, will be disciplined as follows:
- Failure to report (1st offense) – written reprimand for your file.
- Failure to report (2nd offense) – termination
- Performance of safety-sensitive function when adversely impacted by Rx/OTC medications — termination
- Falsification of a physicians statement — termination
In regards to “Over-The-Counter” medications (ones you can get at a local pharmacy), you do not need to get a Medication Approval Form filled out by a physician. Please reference the Over the Counter Medications section on the policy for full explanation. The use of Over the Counter medication will be used at the discretion of each individual driver. You are responsible in determining if the label of the medication you choose will adversely affect your ability to perform your safety-sensitive functions. If you’re not sure, ask the pharmacist and describe to them your job. If you choose to take a medication that may show up on a drug test, you are taking that responsibility and risk by taking that medication. If it shows up on a test, then you are responsible for the discipline listed above.
These policies are what our Transit Board decided to adopt and we are doing what we can to uphold the policy as it was adopted.
If you’re currently taking any medications, it would be wise to look at their ingredients to determine whether or not you should be taking them.
If you have any questions, I would much rather you reach out to me and ask, then get reprimanded for not following the right process. Please don’t hesitate to contact me to get any forms, the policy regarding this process, or with any clarification questions. We are here for you!
Copies of the policy were given out last year and were acknowledged and signed by ALL safety sensitive employees. A copy of the policy and the Medication Approval forms have been faxed (again) over to each garage.
— Jennifer Olson