Was wondering if anybody has a policy in effect regarding employee prescription medication use and notification? We have one that requires us to submit a list and photograph of the label for each medication that employees take. I can understand if someone is taking something that would have an affect on their ability to perform/drive/or have an effect on their judgement, but what about privacy issues? I think it seems a bit overreaching. What's your thoughts?

It is not overreaching if it, as you previously stated, has an affect on their ability to perform certain tasks.
There is a higher standards in certain lines of work.
I worked in the offshore oil and gas industry where random drug and alcohol testing is randomly performed and your personal belongings are also randomly searched.
What would be your companies exposure to civil litigation if a truck your employee was driving causes an accident while using opioid pain medication?

There are some instances where an employee must notify a supervisor if taking anything that might cause dizziness or confusion. The circumstances are usually part of the work agreement and typically apply where fitness for duty is an issue. To ask about every single medication and require a picture of the bottle sounds like a violation of HIPAA laws. What f'n purpose is there to require knowledge about every single medical condition? Just curious, do they employ a lot of ex cons?

No. Lol. We don't employee ex-cons. We're a law enforcement agency. Our policies come from the attorneys attached to our insurance company. We're more about liability than law enforcement nowadays.

We didn't have to submit a list but when the department wanted to fuck with someone on medical restricted duty they'd take their guns if they found out they were taking pain killers.

Submit to who?

If a "city" doctor that is evaluating you for fitness for duty, sure.

If your Lt or Capt. or something like that? Hell no.

Our policy does detail drug testing for abuse of RX narcotics, but also allows unlimited use of sick leave if on RX meds that you feel negatively impact your work capability.

The Sheriff.

Nope, that information would only be submitted to someone with a medical degree.  A doctor would be covered by HIPPA.  The Sheriff could disclose personnel info with a FOIA request.

I'd be a little concerned with an employer, regardless of type, that wanted information on meds that could lead to speculation on health conditions. You can easily deduce high blood pressure and cholesterol conditions by the medications someone is taking. Could possibly lead to termination if they thought you were an insurance pool risk. And what happens if word gets out that you're taking the little blue pill?

This....our department went around this crap even with the annual physical....which was to be a sealed packet only for the employee and MD doing the evaluation. Employee received the only printed copy...MD had employees info on the PC.
Years later...we we're finding copy machined docs in our envelopes....and upon further investigation...found that the City Admin. was "peeking/copying" them. They just had some dumbass doing the work, and got lazy as to the details.
With the "digital/computer" state of things...I doubt anyone would know now. Sad
IMHO this would apply to class III & up Rx....class II & I wouldn't be a normal capable of working Rx.

If you will use it at work or the prescription will be used and its effects can be carried over, you must report it.

I think the policy is like 20 pages long