Changes Made to WWE Wellness Policy

[punk13]

A WWE Talent may request a Therapeutic Use Exception (“TUEâ€) for a prohibited drug under the Policy if (i) such use is for a legitimate medical purpose given pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed and treating physician of the WWE Talent; (ii) the use of such prohibited drug is required for more than sixty (60) consecutive days; (iii) the medical need for the prescription and for the prescribed dosage is documented in accordance with standards and practices commonly accepted within the United States medical community; and (iv) the medical need is confirmed by the Medical Director. A WWE Talent in need of a TUE must immediately notify, or cause his/her issuing physician to notify, the Medical Director of the existence of a prescription for a prohibited drug and the medical need for the TUE. Whenever requested to do so by the Medical Director, the WWE Talent shall provide, or cause his/her issuing physician to provide any and all documentation supporting the issuance of the prescription. If requested by the Medical Director, a WWE talent will be examined by physicians/consultants designated by the Medical Director with an expertise in the specific area covered by the prescription. Following the review of all documentation provided by WWE Talent and his/her medical team and, if necessary, the results of any medical exams/tests performed by physicians/consultants designated by the Medical Director, the Medical Director shall make a determination as to whether or not a TUE should be granted to a WWE Talent. The Medical Director shall report his determination to the WWE Talent, the PA and WWE.
A TUE shall be effective for no more than one (1) calendar year (or the remainder of the calendar year then in effect) from the date the WWE Talent first notified, or caused his/her issuing physician to first notify, the Medical Director of the need for a TUE and the existence of a prescription for a prohibited drug. The TUE shall not be effective for any use or possession of a prohibited drug prior to that date. After initial issuance, a TUE may be renewed annually, upon request of the WWE Talent, if (i) the WWE Talent is in full compliance with the terms of the previously issued TUE; (ii) the WWE Talent provides updated medical documentation necessary to support the continued need for a TUE, and (iii) the WWE Talent submits to any additional medical tests or exams required by the Medical Director to confirm the continuing need for the TUE.

A urine sample which is found to contain a prohibited drug will not be deemed a positive test result if such sample was provided by a WWE Talent with a valid and effective TUE for that prohibited drug. A WWE Talent with a TUE for a prohibited drug does not violate the Policy by possessing or using that prohibited drug.

A WWE Talent who is determined not to qualify for a TUE may not challenge a determination that he/she violated the Policy by contending, in connection with a “no fault or negligence†defense or otherwise, that he/she believed he/she would qualify or had qualified for a TUE.

– Any WWE Talent, who is arrested, convicted or who admits to a violation of law relating to use, possession, purchase, sale or distribution of drugs will be in material breach of his/her contract with WWE and subject to immediate dismissal.

– In the event of a positive test for alcohol, the WWE Talent shall be fined Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars ($2,500.00) per positive test, which shall be deducted from the WWE Talent's downside guarantee.

– A WWE talent who has “two†violations under the Policy may, subject to Medical Director approval, enter the Redemption Program. The Redemption Program is an eighteen (18) month process that requires the following:

An initial assessment conducted by the Medical Director (or, as the case may be, an addiction specialist recommended by the Medical Director) who will analyze the addiction related issues and health related concerns then being experienced by the WWE Talent, develop proposed treatments, therapies and/or support programs that may assist the WWE Talent in managing these issues/concerns and determine initial entry date for the WWE Talent into the Redemption Program; Compliance with the assessment recommendations made by the Medical Director (or, as the case may be, an addiction specialist recommended by the Medical Director) for the duration of the eighteen (18) month program; Mandatory unannounced follow-up testing as set forth in Section 8(C) (1) of the Policy; and No violations under the Policy for eighteen (18) consecutive months after initial entry into the Redemption Program.

Upon successful completion of the Redemption Program, the WWE Talent shall request the PA, with the approval of the Medical Director, to delete one (1) of the two (2) violations of record for such WWE Talent. In the event the PA determines in favor of the request, the violation record for such WWE Talent will then be amended to reflect the reduction of a violation leaving the WWE Talent with only one (1) violation under the Policy.

– Pain medications, and other substances prohibited by this Policy, may be abused at times and can become addictive. A WWE Talent who believes he/she may have a problem with substance abuse is encouraged to self-report and request assistance. No penalties are imposed on WWE Talent for voluntarily acknowledging a problem to the Medical Director prior to a drug test being performed herein and WWE will assist in securing rehabilitation services in such situations. The rehabilitation process can be engaged by a WWE Talent notifying the Medical Director, the PA, WWE Ringside Physicians or the WWE Wellness Coordinator that he/she has a problem and needs assistance.

Somewhere far away, Orton has a big smile on his face.

 

[Deezy]

How can you get tested for something legal like alcohol? And also, does this mean you can get a medicinal marijuana card and light it up without having to pay fines?

 

[The Cork]

This is waht the MMA guys use to juice up on testo.

Sounds horrifically like the old pre-Benoit rule where all you needed was a doctors prescription and you could do anything.

 

[Chris]

How can you get tested for something legal like alcohol? And also, does this mean you can get a medicinal marijuana card and light it up without having to pay fines?

Well I believe that any company can say you aren't allowed to drink alcohol (or smoke weed in the places where it's legal) as long as you're an employee, and so then they would test to see if you're breaking the company's rules, not necessarily the law. Think they get away with not technically governing the "personal" life of the employee by saying stuff like "cannot use within 24 hours of shift" or some nonsense for someone that works everyday.

 

[Deezy]

Well I believe that any company can say you aren't allowed to drink alcohol (or smoke weed in the places where it's legal) as long as you're an employee, and so then they would test to see if you're breaking the company's rules, not necessarily the law. Think they get away with not technically governing the "personal" life of the employee by saying stuff like "cannot use within 24 hours of shift" or some nonsense for someone that works everyday.

So you're saying "Big Government" isn't allowed to tell you what to do in your private lives, but a corporation can? Even if they pay you, they should have no right telling you what you can do on your own time. Especially if you are not breaking any laws. A DUI? Yes, but someone going to a bar, or hanging in the lobby drinking some beer with your buddies isn't cool. Steve Austin would've quit if they did this shit a decade ago.

 

[Cena's Jeans Shorts]

Considering the nature of their work, the danger being that a screw up could injure another worker, it's reasonable they screen to make sure wrestlers aren't coming to the job site drunk or even buzzed. Kinda tough to judge how that part of their testing is actually worked, ie what blood alcohol level do they consider a "positive". If it's the same criteria most American states use to determine whether someone is too drunk to drive, I would find that reasonable.

 

[SAIYANS]

How can you get tested for something legal like alcohol? And also, does this mean you can get a medicinal marijuana card and light it up without having to pay fines?

RVD approves like the Hardys lol

 

[Rated R Superstar]

Jeff Hardy to make a return at the Rumble.

 

[Deezy]

Considering the nature of their work, the danger being that a screw up could injure another worker, it's reasonable they screen to make sure wrestlers aren't coming to the job site drunk or even buzzed. Kinda tough to judge how that part of their testing is actually worked, ie what blood alcohol level do they consider a "positive". If it's the same criteria most American states use to determine whether someone is too drunk to drive, I would find that reasonable.

C;mon wrestlers working hungover is a right of passage since the territories. People showing up drunk would just be Blue, but to say someone can't have a few drinks on their own time is just ludicrous, I wouldn't work for a company that would tell me what I can or cannot do in my own free time.

What would happen to Steve Austin and his post match celebration?

 

[ThatGuyFromNukemHigh]

Jeff Hardy to make a return at the Rumble.

I highly doubt you could get a prescription for the shit he does. This change just keeps RVD from continuously failing the wellness policy, since he does have a medical marijuana license.

 

[Cena's Jeans Shorts]

C;mon wrestlers working hungover is a right of passage since the territories. People showing up drunk would just be Blue, but to say someone can't have a few drinks on their own time is just ludicrous, I wouldn't work for a company that would tell me what I can or cannot do in my own free time.

What would happen to Steve Austin and his post match celebration?

There's a difference, like you said, between drunk and hung over. It's all in how their policy wishes to define a positive test. If the tests are set up to determine whether someone had a lot of drinks in the last 24 hours, even if they're not showing up to work buzzed or drunk, most of the men on the roster would probably be on their last strike pretty damn fast. I didn't get the sense from that policy just how exactly they determined these things.

Regarding Austin, it was a different time. And it would seem silly to fire someone for drinking or wearing a gimmick that he was either told to use or told by anyone in charge was fine to use on TV. Austin wore more than he actually ingested anyhow. Maybe enough for a buzz? But reasonably, having the boss say you can work the beer gimmick on camera should work as an exemption the same way having a doctor's note for those painkillers or steroids for "therapeutic use".