Last updated : November 25, 2024
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 22.5 million Americans reported using illicit drugs during the month prior to the survey. The illicit drugs reported in the survey included marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens (such as Ecstasy and amphetamines), inhalants, or prescription-type psycho-therapeutics used non-medically.
Add to that the 58.3 million people who reported engaging in binge drinking and the 15.9 million who reported heavy drinking (binge drinking more that 5 days out of the last 30), the total comes in at 96.7 million potential job-performance or work-related incidents every month.A study of the economic costs to employers as a result of substance abuse treatment in Ohio found significant improvements in job-performance:
- 91 percent decrease in absenteeism
- 88 percent decrease in problems with supervisors
- 93 percent decrease in mistakes in work
- 97 percent decrease in on-the-job injuries
The Benefits of a Drug-Free Workplace
With the statistical evidence continuing to accumulate, many employers no longer find the implementation of a Drug-Free Workplace Policy an unjustified expense. Besides the increase in productivity and reduction of absenteeism, accidents and injuries, employers find that becoming Drug-Free qualifies them for certain state and Federal grants, as well as contracts.
To top it off, more states are offering premium discounts on Worker’s Compensation to companies with Drug-Free Programs. To date, 11 states offer premium discounts, often substantial enough to offset any testing costs the company bears by having the program in place.
Companies who implement drug-free policies often require applicant testing, especially for positions dealing with safety or security, as well as random testing. One of the most common drug-testing policies is required testing after any work-place incident/accident.
Employers who implement drug-free programs have every incentive to do so – but by implementing a comprehensive drug-free program, they also adopt policies and procedures to aide supervisors in identifying potential substance abuse, training to educate their employees on less known substance abuse issues (i.e. addiction to prescription pain killers), and aide employees in receiving help for their addiction – either through on-site counseling, rehabilitation benefits or by referral to resources available in the community.
Employee Benefits for Complying with Drug-Free policies
The most common form of required drug-testing across companies is testing done after a work-related accident. Even those positions that do not normally qualify as mandatory testing jobs (those dealing with safety or security or, in some states, those dealing with medical, health, food processing, machinery or vehicles) can be asked to submit to a test after an incident.
For the employee who cannot pass a drug test after being injured on-the-job is the bad news that some states either deny in part or full any Workman’s Compensation claims. Wisconsin reduces payments by 15% while Wyoming denies the claim in full.
While the employee can refuse the test, the consequences of doing so may result in the same losses as those experienced with a positive test result.
To that end, an employee who engages in substance abuse while on-duty takes substantial risks, not only with their co-workers and customers, but with their own access to financial assistance should they become injured or disabled due to a work-related accident.
As more companies go Drug-Free, and subsequently report their savings and increases in profitability, it can only be surmised that reduction or denial of Workman’s Compensation claims for those who test positive for drug use will become the norm, rather than the exception.
