September/October 1997
With substance abuse on the rise, more employees are bringing their drug and alcohol problems to the workplace, with potentially serious financial, safety, and legal repercussions for their companies. Here’s what you should know to combat the problem.
By Eileen Zagone
Eileen Zagone is an associate editor of Scrap.
“John” had worked at the scrap recycling company for about five months. He was amiable, well-liked, and an excellent worker. One day he overinflated a tire, causing an explosion that killed him. An autopsy showed an alarmingly high level of barbiturates in his blood—a surprise to his coworkers and family.
A truck driver for a scrap processor was returning from a delivery when a passenger car struck the truck in an intersection. The car’s driver died, but a passenger survived and reported that the truck had run a red light. Post-accident testing of the truck driver revealed a positive result for cocaine.
To celebrate six months without an accident, a scrap recycling firm closed early one afternoon and had an on-site picnic for its employees. The company supplied a few cases of beer and soda, and a 19-year-old employee had several beers before driving home. En route, he crossed the center line and died in a head-on collision.These tragic true stories are only three examples of how substance abuse can affect scrap recycling companies. The fact is that in today’s culture of widespread drug and alcohol use, no industry or business is immune from the potential effects of substance abuse in the workplace. These effects can include injuries and fatalities, poor job performance, theft, destruction of property, legal liability, and more.
Fortunately, scrap recyclers can take steps to protect their companies and employees from these adverse consequences. Armed with a basic understanding of substance abuse and a few preventive measures, recyclers can help keep their workplaces clean, sober, and safe.
Understanding the Problem
The first step toward dealing with workplace substance abuse is to grasp the magnitude of the problem. According to some estimates, one in five employees has an alcohol or drug problem. Another startling fact: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) projects that about 75 percent of illegal drug users are employed. And while it’s not guaranteed that a person’s substance abuse spills over into the workplace, it’s always a possibility—and, many times, a probability. DOL reports, for example, that more than 75 percent of those who called one cocaine helpline admitted using the drug at work and 64 percent of them said their drug use affected their job performance.
In monetary terms, substance abuse costs U.S. companies more than $100 billion a year in lost productivity, absenteeism, health care costs, and more, with alcoholism alone causing 500 million lost workdays a year, DOL says. In addition, untreated alcoholics incur health care costs that are, on average, at least 100 percent higher than employees who don’t have drinking problems, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) (New York City).
This tremendous cost touches large and small businesses alike. In fact, small firms have been among the slowest to acknowledge the need for workplace substance abuse programs, even though they employ almost 60 percent of employees who use drugs, according to DOL. Small firms also often fail to recognize that, as substance abusers are weeded out of larger companies, they have the tendency to gravitate toward smaller companies that tend to be less rigorous about drug and alcohol screening than larger firms.
In addition to the financial repercussions, there can be steep personal and safety costs heaped upon not only the substance abuser, but other employees and third parties as well. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has found, for instance, that as many as one in six employees killed on the job used alcohol or illegal drugs before their accident. Among them, for those age 35 to 44 the figure jumped to 54 percent. Moreover, according to NCADD, up to 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries are linked to alcohol consumption.
Facing Reality
Before attempting to address the problems that substance abuse poses in the workplace, it’s necessary to abandon any preconceived notions of substance abuse and substance abusers.
One common myth is that marijuana and cocaine are the most widely used and abused substances. In fact, alcohol is, says NCADD. But because alcohol is legal, its workplace abuse is often overlooked.
Another false assumption is that alcohol and drug abusers look a certain way and can, therefore, be spotted easily. The truth is that they come from all walks of life and all income levels, and—perhaps most important—they’re generally skilled at concealing their problem.
Unfortunately, many business owners and managers persist in thinking their companies are immune to the effects of alcohol and drugs in the workplace. “After all,” they say, “we know our employees. Some are even relatives. Besides, drugs are a city problem. We don’t have to worry about that sort of thing around here.”
These are all fallacies. The statistics suggest that one of your employees or coworkers could have a substance abuse problem. And the truth is that such an employee could work in any position of your company, from sorter to board member.
And depending on their level, substance abusers pose different threats to different people. In the safety-conscious scrap industry, for instance, an employee with an alcohol or drug problem can be a life-threatening hazard when operating or repairing machinery, driving a truck, processing material, and so on. But also imagine if your bookkeeper has a drinking problem and comes to work groggy day after day. Isn’t a mistake in the books bound to happen sooner or later? And what about a scale operator with a drug habit that escalates faster than his salary. Might he start stealing from the company to feed the monkey on his back?
Practical Prevention: Beyond Just Saying No
Given these stark scenarios and statistics, as well as the failure of the so-called “war on drugs” and incessant news reports in recent years of skyrocketing drug use, it’s easy to understand why many businesses have buried their heads in the proverbial sand rather than try to combat substance abuse in the workplace. The problem simply seems too omnipresent, too overwhelming, and too insidious to confront.
Yet many experts assert that the workplace is one area where the problem of substance abuse can be controlled. There are many success stories, they note, about companies that have achieved a substance abuse-free work environment and reaped the benefits. According to DOL, some companies that have implemented comprehensive substance abuse policies and treatment programs have seen on-the-job injuries plummet more than 90 percent.
Achieving such results requires more than just saying no to alcohol and drugs in your workplace, however. Following are a few tips on how to establish a substance abuse prevention program that works.
Write a Policy and Stick to It. The first step, experts agree, is to develop a written substance policy that clearly spells out your company’s position on alcohol and drug use on the job and the reasons behind the policy.
Most substance abuse policies, for example, state clearly that the company strictly prohibits the illicit use, possession, sale, distribution, or manufacture of alcohol and legal or illegal drugs in the workplace. The policy should also state that the company’s goal is to protect the safety and health of its staff and customers. By pointing out that alcohol and drug use undermine and threaten this goal, the policy demonstrates why it’s important for all employees to abide by a no-tolerance rule—that is, substance abuse in the workplace won’t be tolerated under any circumstances.
Of course, without penalties, a no-tolerance rule will have no figurative teeth. The policy must therefore clearly state what will happen if an employee violates the rules. It’s essential that the consequences always be carried out for all employees because anything less can breed resentment and present potential legal thorns. Just because an employee is a relative or long-time veteran shouldn’t excuse them from adhering to the policy and accepting responsibility for any personal violation. Just as everyone should wear appropriate safety gear without exception, so every employee should face the same consequences for violating the company’s substance abuse policy.
Precisely what those consequences are is up to each company and should be given careful consideration. Immediate dismissal is one option. But if you’re unwilling to lose any one employee, then you should consider other options that allow for more flexibility, experts advise.
Provide Education and Awareness Training. Once you’ve created a policy, the next step is to make sure all employees understand the policy and what will happen if they don’t follow it.
Focusing on how the policy protects all employees and fosters a safe work environment are good ways to ensure that employees buy in to the policy and can also provide protection from lawsuits brought by disciplined or fired employees. One scrap processing operation, for instance, reviews its substance abuse policy with all new hires and even has them sign and date a form indicating that they understand the plan’s specifics, including requirements and penalties.
The second prong of education is supervisor training. Because supervisors are, in large part, charged with the responsibility of monitoring and counseling employees with respect to unsatisfactory work, it’s a good idea for them to have some training in spotting behavior suggestive of substance abuse.
Supervisors need not be versed in the fine points of addiction or serve as social workers for employees, however. Accordingly, they should avoid direct accusations of substance abuse, as such accusations are likely to make the employee defensive and invite denial of a problem. Instead, supervisors should focus on the employee’s performance problems backed up with facts and documentation.
Put Employees to the Test. Many workplace substance abuse policies include some form of drug and alcohol testing, a direct—and, some say, the most powerful—approach to preventing or detecting substance abuse within the company.
The popularity of such testing has soared in the past few years, thanks in part to several legal cases that have upheld the right of employers to require substance abuse testing of employees in safety-sensitive jobs. Some legal restrictions on drug and alcohol testing in some instances and some states may determine the extent to which such testing can be integrated into your company’s program. To be on the safe side, check with your attorney.
If testing is included as part of your program, that fact should be clearly stated in your firm’s policy, with details specifying who is to be tested, when and under what circumstances, and what action will be taken in the event of a positive result. As with other aspects of your policy, the testing procedures and consequences must be spelled out clearly and applied equally to all employees.
There are four types of substance abuse testing: pre-employment, random, probable-cause, and post-accident.
Pre-employment testing is generally conducted after a candidate has been offered a position, with the condition that they successfully pass a drug and alcohol screening test. In addition to testing potential permanent employees, one large scrap processing firm tests its temporary employees since many of them eventually work their way to permanent status (but only after passing another test).
To help deter substance abusers from applying in the first place, your company can display a sign in the personnel area that states the testing policy or include the policy in each job announcement. Some employers even ask that candidates pay for their own tests. The fee, which generally runs $20 to $45, is returned if they pass the test. If they fail, not only are they denied the job, but they lose the testing fee.
While pre-employment testing can save your firm from hiring substance abusers in the first place, what if an employee develops a substance abuse problem after being hired? Enter random testing—perhaps the most controversial testing approach—in which employees are tested unnanounced at random times throughout the year. Some states prohibit or restrict random testing, and even where allowed, such testing must be truly random. That is, every employee must have an equal chance of being chosen each time. Randomness also helps shield you from legal repercussions, such as charges of discrimination.
Complaints about random testing are common. Some employers say it’s too costly for the number of positive results it produces. Plus, it can become a point of contention in unionized workplaces. Says one scrap executive of a unionized plant, “The union challenged a policy that included random testing, and we don’t think it’s worth jeopardizing our relationship with them.”
Probable-cause testing is another thorny testing area. In this scenario, testing is required if a supervisor has reasonable suspicion that an employee is working under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Suspicion must be based on specific observations such as slurred speech, erratic behavior, breath or body odor, and other points, all of which must be documented before the employee is tested.
Less controversial is post-accident testing, which is widespread in the scrap recycling industry and which can even be required by law. In such instances, everyone associated with an accident should be tested, including all injured parties. Sometimes, a positive result can mean denial of workers’ compensation benefits for the violating employee, and most substance abuse policies generally state that any employee who tests positive in post-accident testing will be immediately and automatically terminated.
Of note, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) already requires pre-employment drug and alcohol testing of all commercial drivers and also allows random, probable-cause, and post-accident tests. Since compliance with DOT testing is mandatory, it should be treated as separate from your company’s in-house substance abuse policy. Still, the DOT regulations can provide a useful guide in how to integrate substance abuse screening into your policy.
Experts agree that any of these testing approaches can help deter employees from bringing their substance abuse problems into your company. “Some people view drug testing as costly,” says one scrap recycler, “but we view it as an investment in a quality work force and a safe workplace. We can replace a crane, but we can’t replace a person.”
Confronting the Face of Addiction
The moment of truth comes, of course, when your company’s substance abuse policy is put to the test. What will you do when the face of addiction belongs to one of your trusted employees?
The best way to prepare yourself and your company is to ask “what if” as you develop your policy. This helps you anticipate the many incarnations substance abuse can take in the workplace and decide how you’ll deal with those that arise. Some companies may adopt a policy of immediately terminating any employee who brings a substance abuse problem into the workplace. Other firms may choose instead to first offer counseling to afflicted employees.
While employers aren’t required to offer any assistance to employees with substance abuse problems, except commercial truck drivers, experts argue that failing to offer some sort of assistance is akin to waiting for disaster to strike.
One of the most popular means of dealing with substance abuse is to refer the abuser to an employee assistance program, or EAP. These programs are designed to help employees with a variety of problems that could affect their work performance, including domestic, financial, and—of course—substance abuse problems. Usually the employee is offered confidential, short-term counseling, referral, and follow-up services to help them overcome their problem. Often, the employee can continue to work full time and may only require a bit of schedule tweaking to participate in a program. An EAP may be available through your health insurance plan or through local and state health care agencies. If not, in some communities, small companies can join together to fund an EAP.
When an employee is referred to an EAP, though, the conditions of his or her continued employment should be clearly spelled out. For instance, one scrap company has a policy that requires employees who participate in its EAP to submit to an unlimited number of random tests for a year after completing the assistance program. If any of the tests comes back with a positive result or if the employee refuses any of the tests, he or she is automatically terminated. “Sometimes we’ve had to fire people who just can’t stay clean,” laments the firm’s human resources director. “Having a heart is good policy, but giving someone chance after chance puts the company and other employees at an unnecessary risk.” And experts agree that the key to a person’s recovery is that they have to, first, truly want help and, second, want to change. After all, you can’t force assistance on employees.
In return for the compassion and second chances that are inherent in an EAP, the employer is rewarded as well. EAPs cost the average employer between $12 and $20 annually for each employee, DOL reports. But for every dollar invested in such programs, the company generally saves between $5 and $16. Also, many companies see a reduction in their workers’ comp premiums after implementing a substance abuse policy and EAP.
But none of these perks will be within reach unless and until you admit that substance abuse in the workplace is a serious problem, one that’s unlikely to disappear, and one that could be affecting your employees and operations. Fortunately, there are effective, well-established ways in which to deal with the problem, as well as a handful of organizations and resources that can provide advice and assistance (see sidebar on page 80). And with a little work, you can achieve the goal of a safe and substance abuse-free work environment for all employees.
Where to Go for Help
Scrap recyclers seeking to address substance abuse in the workplace can take advantage of innumerable resources that offer everything from legal advice to counseling and policy consulting services. The following list should get you started, but be sure to check with your health insurance provider or attorney for specific guidance.
Working Partners Initiative, U.S. Department of Labor, 202/219-6001, ext. 137
American Council for Drug Education, 800/488-3784
Employee Assistance Professionals Association, 703/522-6272
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, 202/783-6868
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, 800/729-6686
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 212/206-6770
Substance Abuse Institute, 301/431-1239
Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association, 800/672-7229
Workplace Helpline, 800/967-5752 or 800/843-4971 •
With substance abuse on the rise, more employees are bringing their drug and alcohol problems to the workplace, with potentially serious financial, safety, and legal repercussions for their companies. Here’s what you should know to combat the problem.