Working Partners
for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace
Courtesy of U.S. Department of Labor www.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm
Affecting Your Company's Bottom-Line Through Substance Abuse Awareness
- The American workplace consists primarily of small businesses. The federal government estimates that 71 percent of illegal drug users are employed; the majority work for small businesses.1
- "Small businesses may be particularly vulnerable to problems of drug abuse among their employees because drug abusers will seek work at smaller firms where the likelihood of drug testing is slim.2
- Small businesses traditionally draw heavily from the pool of 18- to 34-year-old job seekers, a segment of the American population that is at the heart of a nationwide increase in illegal drug use. Among young adults age 18-20, 18 percent are current illicit drug users; 12 percent of those age 21-25 and 8 percent of those age 26-34 also are current drug users.3
- The future work force is also at risk for alcohol and other drug abuse. Substance abuse among American teens is increasing at an alarming rate—up 33 percent between 1994 and 1995; up 78 percent between 1992 and 1995.4
- According to the results of a study released in 1996 by the federal government, workers from a variety of industries reported the following levels of substance abuse:5
|
Illegal Drugs | |||
|
Current |
Past Year |
Heavy Alcohol |
|
| Agriculture | 3.6 | 11.8 | 5.4 |
| Business & Repair Services | 11.1 | 19.8 | 9.7 |
| Construction | 12.2 | 20.6 | 13.4 |
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate | 5.4 | 14.6 | 4.5 |
| Manufacturing (Non-Durable Goods) | 7.2 | 15.2 | 7.0 |
| Manufacturing (Durable Goods) | 6.7 | 14.8 | 7.7 |
| Mining | 9.3 | 12.9 | * |
| Personal Services | 10.3 | 19.3 | 5.8 |
| Professional & Related Services | 4.2 | 11.05 | 3.1 |
| Public Administration | 3.7 | 8.8 | 7.2 |
| Retail Trade | 10.8 | 19.7 | 8.8 |
| Transportation | 5.2 | 13.2 | 7.5 |
| Wholesale Trade | 8.0 | 15.5 | 10.3 |
- An ongoing Postal Service study reports absenteeism, among drug users, is 66 percent higher, health benefit utilization is 84 percent greater in dollar terms, disciplinary actions are 90 percent higher, and employee turnover is significantly higher.6
- From large international corporations to relatively small firms, companies are implementing and maintaining programs to ensure that their work forces are productive, their workplaces are safe, and the success of their businesses is not hindered by substance abuse.
Available from Working Partners are sample case studies of companies from a variety of industries that have effectively addressed workplace substance abuse. For more information, please contact Karen Herson Vaughn at the U.S. Department of Labor at (202) 219-6001, ext. 137.
Company Success Stories
Engineer Firm Designs a Model Substance Abuse Policy
Small Printing Company Leads the Way as Association Implements a Low-Cost EAP
Landscaping Firm Implements Drug Testing Program at Minimal Cost
"Firm But Fair" Drug Testing Policy Saves Plumbing Company $ 385,000 Annually
Endnotes:
11995 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 1996.
2 "Mangan, D. "An Rx for Drug Abuse." Small Business Reports 17, no. 5 (May 1993):1,32.
3 1995 National Household Survey, 1996.
4 Ibid.
5 "Drug Use Among U.S.
Workers: Prevalence and Trends By Occupation and Industry Categories,"
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 1996.
6 "Pre-Employment Associations with EAP, Disciplinary and Medical Claims Information," United States Postal Service, Personnel Research and Development Branch, Office of Selection and Evaluation, July 1992.