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How can you judge if your organization
will benefit from a drug-free workplace program? The
following information can help you assess the risks,
costs, and benefits in relation to your own needs and
resources.
Assessing Your Workplace
The assessment process is not an exact science. There
are no right or wrong answers. One way to begin an assessment
is to analyze the cost of alcohol and other drug abuse,
such as health care utilization costs and losses due
to theft, absenteeism, and accidents. Monitoring these
same costs over time can help you assess the impact
and success of your drug-free workplace program.
The risks, costs, and benefits will differ with every
organization. A careful assessment can show which program
options offer clear advantages and are affordable and
which ones are not needed at this time. The following
are some questions you should ask when deciding the
best course of action.
What Are the Risks?
Consider for a moment a variety of scenarios in which
a substance abuser might affect your workplace:
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Do certain employees perform key
functions of the organization?
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Brokers handling large sums
of money
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Technicians monitoring essential
equipment such as computers, nuclear power dials,
etc.
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Salespersons representing the
company
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Do you have employees in positions
where alcohol or other drug abuse would be difficult
to detect?
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Employees who work at home
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Traveling salespersons
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Home health care workers
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Do you have employees in "safety
sensitive" jobs?
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Driving vehicles
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Operating machinery
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Managing a place of public
entry such as a security checkpoint
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Do you have employees in "security
sensitive" jobs?
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Responsible for inventory or
stock
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Responsible for ideas, products,
plans, and proprietary material
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Responsible for financial accounting
or cash
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Responsible for confidential
documents
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Then ask: Can you afford to lose
a valuable employee who is in trouble?
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Will loss of the employee affect
this year’s productivity and bottom line?
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How much will it cost to recruit,
hire, and train someone new?
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What do you predict would happen
to production and client satisfaction if an alcohol
or other drug abuse problem goes unresolved?
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For some employers, one accident,
one major financial problem, or one breach of confidentiality
can place the entire operation in jeopardy. If someone
in your workforce is not fit to perform his or her job
because of alcohol or other drug abuse, the risk may
be significant.
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What Are the Benefits?
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Drug-free workplace programs can
have both short- and long-term benefits. Employers who
have already started drug-free workplace programs report
significant benefits:
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Short-Term Benefits:
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Cost savings and incentive
programs offered by Medical and health insurance
carriers
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Property, casualty, and liability
insurance carriers
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Workers’ Compensation insurance
carriers
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Less chance that a current
user/abuser will apply for a job or be hired
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Ability to respond quickly
when problems with alcohol or other drug abuse
arise
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Fewer accidents
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Fewer disciplinary actions
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Reduced losses due to absenteeism,
theft, and fraud
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Long-Term Benefits:
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Improved employee morale and
productivity
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Lower costs due to losses and
errors
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Reduced costs of insurance
claims
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Greater employee awareness
about alcohol and other drug abuse as well as
other health issues
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Earlier identification and
resolution of problems affecting job performance
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Decreased legal costs and costs
of hiring and training new employees
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The Costs of Alcohol and Other
Drug Abuse
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In 1989 the Department of Labor took
a comprehensive look at the costs of alcohol and other
drug abuse in the workplace. Some costs were easy to
see. Others were hidden costs employers might not normally
think about. The list below offers a basis for assessing
the possible costs of alcohol and other drug abuse in
your workplace:
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Absenteeism
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Wages paid for days absent
or for time tardy
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Wages paid for temporary staff
to fill in
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Accidents/Damage
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Wages paid for days absent
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Wages paid for unproductive
hours during downtime
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Wages paid for temporary personnel
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Increased expenses for medical
claims
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Cost of replacing damaged equipment
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Legal fees, court fees, investigative
fees, travel costs
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Health Care
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Increased costs for insurance,
physicians, and hospitalization
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Employee time lost
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Administrative costs
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Theft/Fraud
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Wages paid for unproductive
hours during downtime
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Cost of repairing damage or
replacing stolen items
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Cost of hiring security services
and/or consulting services
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Legal fees, court fees, investigative
costs, travel costs
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In addition, business opportunities
may be lost because people are not on the job or are
not fully productive. Another major cost is the time
spent by coworkers, supervisors, and administrators
who must find ways to get the work done when someone
is not pulling his or her weight.
Keep in mind that while there may be more cases of alcohol
and other drug abuse in larger firms than in smaller
ones, a single troubled employee can have a major impact
on a smaller firm.
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