Last updated : December 23, 2024
With all the recent talk of legalizing marijuana, the conversation has inevitably turned to whether employers have a right to demand that their employees be drug free.
The issue is polarized and there doesn’t seem to be much middle ground.
Does off-duty drug use matter?
Some people think that what someone does on their own time is their business. It seems logical. I mean, you’re paid to perform certain duties for a certain amount of time, so as long as you don’t use drugs on the job, everything is fine, right?
Well, not quite.
Life doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Drug use, even when off the clock, has a significant impact on everyone around you.
Let’s say you decide to enjoy a “harmless” joint at home on your own time, but then come into work later that day. You think you’re fine when you hop into the crane and fire it up, but before long you’ve managed to knock down a building and kill several innocent people. This may sound dramatic, but it’s a true story. Every day thousands of accidents in the workplace occur as the result of drug abuse—much of which took place during personal time.
Drug abuse also causes several less severe problems, such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, and employee conflict.
How long do you think it would take to have a negative effect on a small business when an employee doesn’t show up or adequately perform their job? Is it fair that other employees be subjected to the erratic and often aggressive behavior of an employee under the influence of drugs?
Studies have shown that drug abusers are more likely to
- change jobs frequently
- be late to or absent from work
- be less productive employees
- be involved in a workplace accident
- file a workers’ compensation claim
Business owners, fellow employees, and even the general public are forced to deal with the effects of drug abuse in the workplace, so yes; off-duty drug use does matter.
How many people use drugs?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that nearly 75 percent of all drug users are employed, and The American Council for Drug Education estimates that over 31 million employees regularly use illegal drugs. That means one in eleven Americans abuse drugs in the workplace.
How much does drug use cost businesses?
Drug use results in an estimated $81 billion loss for employers annually; that works out to about $7,000 per employee, per year. Can your company afford to eat that sort of expense? I don’t know many that can.
When evaluating potential drug abuse in your company, ask yourself these questions:
- Can your company afford (and do you have the time) to repeatedly hire new employees to replace those who leave or are fired?
- Can your staff absorb the increased workload when employees who abuse drugs arrive late or fail to show up at all?
- Can your staff pick up the slack (or should they have to) for employees who are under-performing due to drug abuse?
- Can you afford the liability of increased and more sever workplace accidents as a result of drug abuse?
- Can you afford the increased costs of unjustified workers’ compensation claims?
How do we reduce or eliminate drug abuse?
Maintaining a drug free workplace is easier than ever today thanks to advances in technology. USA Mobile Drug Testing of Cleveland specializes in developing fast, accurate and cost-effective drug free workplace programs. We tailor a program to your specific needs, manage a random drug testing schedule (in addition to pre-employment, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion drug testing), come to your location to perform collections, and maintain reporting and record keeping for you. It is a 100% turnkey program, which allows you to focus on running your business.
Is a drug free workplace program cost effective?
When you calculate the true cost of drug testing, our programs are substantially more cost-effective than sending your employees to an off-site collection facility. Since our certified collectors come directly to your employees at the office or job site, they don’t spend any time away from their job, and there is no opportunity to cheat, no liability from their travel, and no errors due to improperly trained collectors.
Want to learn more?
If you see the value in reducing or eliminating drug abuse in your company, get in touch with us at 440-653-5003 or contact us via the form below today.
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