The chief executive of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Sina Bugeja, today called for a comprehensive policy to help management deal with employee addiction.

Addressing a seminar on technological addiction organised by the General Workers Union, Ms Bugeja said the foundation already offered training schemes for management and employers.

The Safe Programme, organised by support agency Sedqa, provides broad training to help employers identify and support workers struggling with addiction.

Ms Bugeja explained that the foundation was currently meeting with different unions and employers associations to establish a draft policy.

“We hope to be holding a final public consultation once we have meet with enough people on the matter and then we want to see this policy brought into force,” she said.

GWU secretary Tony Zarb said the number of employers who support employees with addiction had grown.

“We still have employers who will kick out someone struggling with an addiction. Luckily, this number is decreasing,” he said, adding that smoothing the transition between school and workplace would help in reducing the number of addicts.

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