Pubdate: Sat, 01 Jul 2000
Source: Summit Free Press (CO)
Copyright: 2000 Summit Free Press, Inc.
Contact:  PO Box 8386, Breckenridge, CO 80424
Feedback: http://www.summitfreepress.com/contact_us_page.htm
Website: http://www.summitfreepress.com/
Author: Doug Malkan

VAIL RESORTS DROPS DRUG TESTING

In a reversal of policy, Vail Resorts is reducing or eliminating drug 
testing requirements and relaxing some grooming standards at Breckenridge 
and Keystone ski areas. No pre-employment drug testing will be performed 
for the 2000/01 season at either ski area, according to Rick Smith, vice 
president of human resources at Breckenridge, and Keystone sources.

"We thought that money could be better spent on guest services training, 
more recruiting, advertising and job fairs," Smith said. Breckenridge Ski 
Resort spent about $150,000 per year on drug testing and, contrary to 
popular belief, didn't get a break on insurance rates due to drug testing 
because the company is self-insured for worker compensation.

Smith said the company did not find a significant amount of drug use at the 
resort in six years of testing all new hires. New hires failing the 
pre-employment test ran about 2 to 4 percent, most for marijuana use. 
Random drug tests for continuing employees had a failure of only 1 percent.

Random drug testing will still be performed at Keystone and at either ski 
area under "reasonable suspicion," such as an accident.

Due to employee feedback, grooming standards are also being relaxed at the 
ski resorts. For the first time in years, long hair in ponytails for men 
will be allowed at Breck and on a case-by-case basis at Keystone - no 
dreads though. Men will also be allowed to have one earring. For women, the 
earring rule for more than two is on a case-by-case basis.

"We want to be kind of hip with the times, but we want to present a clean 
look to the guest," Smith said.

Hair still cannot be colored other than a "natural" color, but beards will 
be allowed on a department-by-department basis, for instance, beards will 
be allowed on ski patrol but not in hospitality.

It was Breckenridge ski patrollers who complained loudly the first year of 
beard bans, arguing that beards helped keep their faces warm.

Smith said the relaxation in grooming standards is a direct result of 
employee dissatisfaction that has been expressed in the annual employee 
surveys and a re-thinking of the company's strict management policies.

"It's an attempt by us to listen to employees and be flexible," Smith said.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D