Drug-Free Workplace Policy
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, alcohol and drug abuse
has been estimated to cost American businesses roughly $81 billion in lost
productivity in just one year—$37 billion due to premature death and $44
billion due to illness, as of a few years ago. 
Although the rate of current
illicit drug use is higher among unemployed individuals, approximately 77
percent of current illicit drug users in the US are employed. This averages out
to be roughly 7 percent of the workforce.
In an effort to curb some of
this behavior in the federal government, additional drug-testing procedures are
being examined to possibly incorporate this year. The alternative procedures
such as testing samples of sweat, hair and saliva vary from standard urine
sampling, which can be obscured or altered to throw off current tests. Sticking
to national figures, this means the latest estimates of drug-using federal
employees comes to about 105,000 and having new procedures could help reduce
that number.
The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires some federal
contractors and all federal grantees to agree that they will provide drug-free
workplaces as a precondition of receiving a contract or grant from a federal
agency. The new push to get a more accurate account of drug users employed by
the federal government is believed to spark similar changes in
businesses.
Many businesses today have a drug-free workplace policy,
which is a set of rules and regulations dealing with the prevention and
detection of drug-using employees. Companies often have or work with Employee
Assistance Programs ( EAP’s ), which provided direct or referred services
to deal with issues such as substance abuse or other problems in the workplace.
At a minimum, businesses should maintain a resource file from which employees
can access information about community-based resources, treatment programs and
helplines.
Employers and EAP’s alike are continuously searching
for effective measures to reduce current drug use and prevent it in the future.
A written drug-free workplace policy is the foundation of a drug-free
workplace program. Every organization’s policy should be unique and
tailored to meet its specific needs; however, all effective policies have a few
aspects in common, including:
Why the policy is being
implemented. Rationale can be as simple as a company being committed to
protecting the safety, health and well being of its employees and patrons and
recognizing that abuse of alcohol and other drugs compromises this dedication.
A clear description of prohibited behaviors. At a minimum, this
should include the following statement: “The use, possession, transfer or
sale of illegal drugs by employees is prohibited.”
An
explanation of the consequences for violating the policy. There may include
discipline up to and including termination and/or referral for assistance.
Consequences should be consistent with existing personnel policies and
procedures and any applicable state laws.
Sharing all policies with all
employees is essential for success; therefore, employers should be certain that
all employees are aware of the policy and drug-free workplace program. There
are companies and other organizations that can help you get your
drug-free
workplace certification.
© 2009 Drug-Free Alliance