Alcohol in the Public Sector (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject Law - Public Law / Miscellaneous, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration of North Rhine-Westphalia; Duisburg, language: English, abstract: This paper addresses alcohol abuse in the public service with special reference to civil service and disciplinary law. First, alcohol addiction as a disease is examined in more detail and its official and physical consequences are then presented. The core of this work is formed by the possible breaches of duty relevant to the topic and their consequences under civil service law. Finally, the employer's duty of care is discussed and explained in relation to the special obligations of addicted civil servants. Due to the legal differences between civil servants and employees, this work deals exclusively with civil servants.

Alcoholism and drug addiction are often not thought to be in the center of our society. But it is precisely where we often do not even expect it that alcohol and drug abuse has become a problem. More and more people are incapacitated due to addiction, and so it is in the civil service.

The civil servant is often described as reliable, punctual and conscientious. He serves the state and acts on behalf of the state. But what happens when people who would not be expected to have these vices suddenly become conspicuous, not only in their private lives but also in their work?