It is quite common today to
find that an employer will require employment applicants to
submit to what is referred to as a pre employment drug screen.
You will find that this is the most common sort of
drug
testing
done by businesses. The majority of pre employment testing is
done by
testing urine.
Drug-Free Workplace Programs:
Are They Worth the Time?
What Are the Risks, Costs, and Benefits?
How can you judge if your organization
will benefit from a drug-free workplace program? The following information
can help you assess the risks, costs, and benefits in relation to your own
needs and resources.
Assessing Your
Workplace
The assessment process is
not an exact science. There are no right or wrong answers.
One way to begin an assessment is to analyze the cost of
alcohol and other drug abuse, such as health care
utilization costs and losses due to theft, absenteeism, and
accidents. Monitoring these same costs over time can help
you assess the impact and success of your drug-free
workplace program.
The risks, costs, and benefits will
differ with every organization. A careful assessment can show which program
options offer clear advantages and are affordable and which ones are not
needed at this time. The following are some questions you should ask when
deciding the best course of action.
What Are the Risks?
Consider for a moment a variety of
scenarios in which a substance abuser might affect your workplace:
Do certain employees perform
key functions of the organization?
Brokers handling large sums of money
Technicians monitoring essential equipment such
as computers, nuclear power dials, etc.
Salespersons representing the company
Do you have employees in
positions where alcohol or other drug abuse would be difficult to
detect?
Employees who work at home
Traveling salespersons
Home health care workers
Do you have employees in
"safety sensitive" jobs?
Driving vehicles
Operating machinery
Managing a place of public entry such as a
security checkpoint
Do you have employees in
"security sensitive" jobs?
Responsible for inventory or stock
Responsible for ideas, products, plans, and
proprietary material
Responsible for financial accounting or cash
Responsible for confidential documents
Then ask: Can you afford to lose a
valuable employee who is in trouble?
Will loss of the employee affect this year’s
productivity and bottom line?
How much will it cost to recruit, hire, and train
someone new?
What do you predict would happen to production and
client satisfaction if an alcohol or other drug abuse problem goes
unresolved?
For some employers, one accident, one
major financial problem, or one breach of confidentiality can place the
entire operation in jeopardy. If someone in your workforce is not fit to
perform his or her job because of alcohol or other drug abuse, the risk may
be significant.
What Are the Benefits?
Drug-free workplace programs can have
both short and long-term benefits. Employers who have already started
drug-free workplace programs report significant benefits:
Short-Term Benefits:
Cost savings and incentive programs offered by
Medical and health insurance carriers
Property, casualty, and liability insurance
carriers
Workers’ Compensation insurance carriers
Less chance that a current user/abuser will apply
for a job or be hired
Ability to respond quickly when problems with
alcohol or other drug abuse arise
Fewer accidents
Fewer disciplinary actions
Reduced losses due to absenteeism, theft, and fraud
Long-Term Benefits:
Improved employee morale and productivity
Lower costs due to losses and errors
Reduced costs of insurance claims
Greater employee awareness about alcohol and other
drug abuse as well as other health issues
Earlier identification and resolution of problems
affecting job performance
Decreased legal costs and costs of hiring and
training new employees
The Costs of Alcohol and
Other Drug Abuse
In 1989 the Department of Labor took
a comprehensive look at the costs of alcohol and other drug abuse in the
workplace. Some costs were easy to see. Others were hidden costs employers
might not normally think about. The list below offers a basis for assessing
the possible costs of alcohol and other drug abuse in your workplace:
Absenteeism
Wages paid for days absent or for time tardy
Wages paid for temporary staff to fill in
Accidents/Damage
Wages paid for days absent
Wages paid for unproductive hours during downtime
Wages paid for temporary personnel
Increased expenses for medical claims
Cost of replacing damaged equipment
Legal fees, court fees, investigative fees, travel costs
Health Care
Increased costs for insurance, physicians, and
hospitalization
Employee time lost
Administrative costs
Theft/Fraud
Wages paid for unproductive hours during downtime
Cost of repairing damage or replacing stolen items
Cost of hiring security services and/or consulting services
Legal fees, court fees, investigative costs, travel costs
In addition, business
opportunities may be lost because people are not on the job or are not fully
productive. Another major cost is the time spent by coworkers, supervisors,
and administrators who must find ways to get the work done when someone is
not pulling his or her weight.
Keep in mind that while there may be more cases of
alcohol and other drug abuse in larger firms than in smaller ones, a single
troubled employee can have a major impact on a smaller firm.
Calculating the Cost of a
Drug-Free Workplace Program
A common response to the idea of a
drug-free workplace program, especially among smaller organizations, is
"Fine, I’d like to do something, but what will it cost me?" The costs will
vary depending on how much you want to do (a decision based on your
assessment of the risks), how much help you can get from your local
community and other resources, your geographic location, whether or not you
hire consultants, and other details of your overall program. As you review
your costs, keep in mind that a drug-free workplace program will also bring
the benefits listed in the previous section.
A drug-free workplace program could
include costs for:
Policy development and review
Employee education and training
Supervisor training
Employee assistance
Drug testing
To find out how much your particular
program will cost, use the worksheet above. First, break the program into
components or tasks, then estimate the number of hours that might be spent
by you or others on each one and multiply by the hourly rates. Below are
some of the tasks that are typically involved in developing a program:
Write a policy or develop a program with the
assistance of this kit and technical advice from CSAP’s Workplace
Helpline (1-800-WORKPLACE). Costs should include a review by your
attorney.
Train your supervisors or employees yourself, using
the materials in this kit to assist you.
Consult with other employers in your area who are
addressing the problem of alcohol and other drug abuse in the workplace.
Work together on shared program costs to save time and money.
Create an employee team to develop a policy and
implement training under your direction.
Ask your insurance company for assistance with
developing a program and educating employees. Also, ask for help in
reviewing alcohol and other drug abuse treatment options that may be
covered under your insurance plan.
Hire a counselor or substance abuse expert by
contacting a local hospital, treatment center, or employee assistance
program provider. Ask for help with developing your policy and/or
providing training to your supervisors, who would then train your
employees. Treatment options for troubled employees or referrals to
treatment facilities might also be included.
Consult a local drug-free workplace consortium for
help.
For a Free Consultation on setting up
a Drug Free Workplace, give us a call at 801-596-2709
