Preventing Substance Abuse in the Workplace
By Samaria Jones
Substance abuse is a problem in every industry in America, and in any size, location and makeup of workplace, but its effects are disproportionately felt in small businesses. Small businesses that have employees with substance abuse problems face increased workloads due to employee absence or inability to perform work adequately. This in turn can affect employee morale. Small businesses can little afford these added pressures, yet, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace initiative, small business has been “less responsive” in setting up substance abuse policies and prevention programs.
A substance abuse prevention policy should:
- Define the Policy goals
- Define prohibited activity
- Require notification of supervisor if an employee is taking medication which may impair them in any way
- Outline employee compliance and reporting of drug convictions
- Include compliance requirements of contractors and visitors
- Explain right to search
- Detail right to test and types of testing
- Include a verification and consent form
- Describe actions to be taken if a positive test result is reported
- Describe impact of refusal to cooperate
- Define scope of ‘company promises’
An employer of any size should be very proactive in establishing a substance abuse prevention program, and there are many reasons why. Employers face a variety of problems from substance abusing employees, especially when the abuse occurs on the job. According to the Department of Labor’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), employees whose physical and/or mental abilities are impaired by substance abuse are absent three times as much from work as other employees; and when they do work, they’re apt to make costly, and sometimes dangerous, mistakes. Substance abusers are also much more likely to suffer injuries and have accidents that endanger themselves, other employees or members of the public.
SAMSHA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information estimates that 73 percent of illegal drug users (approximately 8.1 million Americans) are currently employed. The construction industry has been pegged as having the highest rate of substance abuse, where it’s estimated that 17.3 percent of workers abuse alcohol or other drugs in the workplace. Other industries with high rates of substance abuse are manufacturing, labor, food services and retail.
Small businesses account for approximately 60 percent of the U.S. private workforce. SAMSHA records also indicate, that of the nation’s private workforce who are substance abusers, more than half work for small businesses.
Medical problems associated with alcoholism and drug addiction often spell higher health care bills for employers. Additionally, the discipline and morale problems substance abusers create can cause anger and resentment in supervisors and co-workers, making productivity plummet.
Business owners, whether their workforce is large or small, can be proactive in helping to prevent substance abuse in the workplace. One option, is giving employees access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP is an effective way of encouraging employees to get the help they need before problems get out of control. While this option is usually more feasible for larger businesses, smaller businesses can enjoy this benefit as part of the services offered through an outsourced human resources firm, such as Administaff. Another valuable small business resource is the Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace website which offers guidelines to business owners who have taken the critical step to implement a substance abuse program. The good news is you don't have to be a large employer to effectively deal with substance abuse prevention in your workplace.
Substance abuse is a problem in every industry in America, and in any size, location and makeup of workplace, but its effects are disproportionately felt in small businesses.