From smart drugs to ketamine, substance use is no longer just a concern for safety-critical industries. In this episode of our Employment Essentials podcast, Partners Jonathan Chamberlain and Anna Fletcher explore the growing presence of drugs in white-collar workplaces and share practical advice for employers.

Drawing on recent research, including a 2025 Bupa survey revealing that over one-third of employees have engaged in or witnessed substance abuse or addictive behaviours during working hours, Jonathan and Anna unpack the legal, cultural, and operational implications of this trend.

The episode covers:

· The surprising prevalence of drug use in professional settings

· The blurred lines between recreational use and workplace impairment

· Legal risks of enforcing zero-tolerance policies

· The role of workplace culture and stress in fuelling addiction

· Disability protections under the Equality Act and how they apply to addiction

Whether you're considering implementing a drug policy or supporting employees through addiction, this episode offers practical guidance for employers navigating this complex issue.

You can find this episode and the accompanying transcript on our website: https://gowlg.co/46P68o1

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Gowling WLG is an international full-service law firm working across a range of industry sectors including real estate, government, financial services, life sciences and technology. We operate across the world with offices in the UK, Europe, Canada and the Middle East.

We regularly talk about a broad range of topics that may be of interest to you. Subscribe to receive our latest articles, podcasts and webinars straight to your inbox: https://gowlg.co/35efH2r

Alternatively, you can view our full selection of insights and resources here: https://gowlg.co/3IwEr41

Want to get to know us? Follow us on:

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This podcast may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.

How does terminating employment contracts vary between different jurisdictions?

Our global employment lawyers discuss the key issues and differences in termination in China, Germany and the UK in the next episode of our 'Employment law in China' podcast series.

Lawyers Le Rong (China), Annette Knoth (Germany) and Jonathan Chamberlain (UK) explore terminating contracts in detail including the different types of employment contracts, severance payments, probationary periods and more.

Listen to the episode now.

You can find this episode and the accompanying transcript on our website: https://gowlg.co/3YtZBJk

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Gowling WLG is an international full-service law firm working across a range of industry sectors including real estate, government, financial services, life sciences and technology. We operate across the world with offices in the UK, Europe, Canada and the Middle East.

We regularly talk about a broad range of topics that may be of interest to you. Subscribe to receive our latest articles, podcasts and webinars straight to your inbox: https://gowlg.co/35efH2r

Alternatively, you can view our full selection of insights and resources here: https://gowlg.co/3IwEr41

Want to get to know us? Follow us on:

LinkedIn: https://gowlg.co/3hqmatB
Twitter: https://gowlg.co/35Do0nY
Facebook: https://gowlg.co/3th2w8N
Instagram: https://gowlg.co/3tEf2iq

This podcast may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.

Who owns IP rights in an employee relationship? And how do these rights differ between employment law in China, Germany and North America?

Andrew Bratt, Head of the National Labour Employment Law Practice in Gowling WLG Canada, hosts the next episode of our 'Employment law in China' series, and is joined by guests Annette Knoth, Head of Labour and Employment in our Frankfurt office, and Elliot Papageorgiou, Head of IP Strategy and Enforcement in China.

They discuss the complex landscape of IP rights in employment, delving into key issues that may affect your business, including:

• Employees' rights to remuneration for an invention created
• How to avoid disputes over remuneration policies
• How to affectively compensate employees for their inventions, whether it be a patent or trade secret.
• How companies can protect their trade secrets

You can find this episode and the accompanying transcript on our website: https://gowlg.co/3AsW3Pr

...

Gowling WLG is an international full-service law firm working across a range of industry sectors including real estate, government, financial services, life sciences and technology. We operate across the world with offices in the UK, Europe, Canada and the Middle East.

We regularly talk about a broad range of topics that may be of interest to you. Subscribe to receive our latest articles, podcasts and webinars straight to your inbox: https://gowlg.co/35efH2r

Alternatively, you can view our full selection of insights and resources here: https://gowlg.co/3IwEr41

Want to get to know us? Follow us on:

LinkedIn: https://gowlg.co/3hqmatB
Twitter: https://gowlg.co/35Do0nY
Facebook: https://gowlg.co/3th2w8N
Instagram: https://gowlg.co/3tEf2iq

This podcast may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.