10/ 19/ 2007
by Beth Milito, NFIB Legal Foundation
Did you know that 77 percent of illicit drug users in the United States are employed? That's 9.4 million people. Depending on whether you maintain a drug-free workplace, chances are good that your business employs one of these workers.
National Drug-Free Work Week 2007 was held Oct. 14-20, and employers and workers across the nation were encouraged to participate. The purpose of Drug-Free Work Week is to highlight the fact that being drug free is key to protecting workplace safety and encouraging workers with alcohol and drug problems to seek help.
"Drug-Free Work Week is a perfect time to remind employers and employees alike that reducing workplace alcohol and drug abuse is a crucial part of keeping workers safe," says Elena Carr, drug policy coordinator at the Labor Department. "Of course, in a safe and healthful workplace, every week should be Drug-Free Work Week."
Substance abuse in the workplace is costly
Drug abuse in the workplace is a significant but frequently overlooked problem. It's estimated that alcohol and drug abuse cost American businesses $81 billion in lost productivity. In addition to that:
- Drug users cost their employers about twice as much in medical claims as non-drug users do.
- Employees who use drugs are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident and five times more likely to file a workers' compensation claim.
- A study by the U.S. Postal Service found that employees who tested positive for marijuana had 85 percent more injuries and were absent from work 78 percent more often than employees who tested negative.
These are losses that most small employers cannot afford. Businesses that implement a drug-free work place program will see improvements in their bottom line, with lower absenteeism, increased productivity, fewer accidents and reduced workers' compensation filings.
How to establish a drug-free workplace
A drug-free workplace generally has five components:
- A drug-free workplace policy
- Employee education
- Manager and supervisor training
- Employee assistance
- Drug testing
You can easily establish a drug-free policy by either inserting a provision in your employee handbook or distributing a statement that says "Employees are prohibited from unlawfully consuming, distributing, possessing, selling or using controlled substances while on duty. In addition, employees may not be under the influence of any controlled substance, such as drugs or alcohol, while at work, on company premises or engaged in company business. Prescription or over-the-counter medications, taken as prescribed, are an exception to this policy. Anyone violating this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination."
All policies should be in writing and effectively communicated to all employees. Supervisors and managers should be trained on how to recognize and deal with employees whose performance problems may be a result of substance abuse. In order to enforce a drug-free workplace, you may also institute a drug-testing policy, but remember to consult with an employment law attorney before doing so.
Finally, make sure you refer employees with substance abuse problems to assistance programs. Whether or not your business offers an on-site employee assistance program, help for substance abusers can be found in a community hospital, health departments, Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon meetings and local treatment centers.
Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in Drug-Free Work Week and ways they can promote drug-free workplace messages--during the campaign and throughout the year--by visiting the Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program Web site.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also provides a complete Drug-Free Workplace Kit that will help employers create a drug-free workplace.
