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Can You Be Fired For Drinking Non-alcoholic Beer At Work?

We all know the sound of a beer can cracking open. That hiss, often accompanied by a sigh is something many of us may enjoy on the weekend with friends. But what would happen if you were to crack open a non-alcoholic beer in the workplace? Is it treated like opening a can of soft drink, or are you at risk of termination?

“This is a question we are starting to hear more with the rise in non-alcoholic beers and wine consumption”, says Laurence McLean, Associate Director of Operations at Employsure. “While the act of drinking non-alcoholic beer at work on its own is unlikely to justify a dismissal, with certain context it may be a contributing factor”.

What could a business owner do to prevent this? An employer could include non-alcoholic drinks in a drug and alcohol policy as there could be risks around creating an undesirable culture in the workplace or encourage other behaviour which might negatively affect the workplace.

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