Firing upheld for worker on drug and alcohol binge

Friday, Jan. 9, 1998 | 7:38 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- An employee who went on a 21-day alcohol and drug binge isn't going to get his job back at the state Department of Transportation in Las Vegas.

State Hearing Officer John Graves Friday refused to reinstate Mourad Messiha to his job as an engineering technician, from which he was fired in September last year.

In his November appeal hearing Messiha said that he had family problems and started to drink alcohol and "use speed and downers." He failed to notify his superiors that he would not show up for work and he finally checked into Charter Hospital in Las Vegas.

At the time, Messiha's state leave time had been used up.

Graves said the domestic situation of Messiha was "difficult but certainly no cause to use illegal drugs as an escape.

"The use of illegal drugs is prevalent enough in our society without having it infiltrate the workplace of state employees responsible to the general public," Graves said.

Messiha said he never notified his superiors that he was going to be absent because he was ashamed of his actions.

But Graves said, "If shame were really the issue, his illegal drug use would have concluded far sooner than 21 days later with a voluntary commitment to a drug center."