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Drug-Free Workplace is dedicated to promoting alcohol and drug-free workplaces. Conferences are held to educate both management and group leaders on all aspects of alcohol and other drugs in the workplace. Topics for past conferences have included the warning signs and hazards of the use of alcohol and other drugs, prescription drug abuse, treatment and employee assistance programs, and legal information.

Why you need a drug-free workplace:

Every year in the United States, $75-100 billion in profits are lost as direct result of worker substance abuse. Do you know how much substance abuse is costing your company? If you are not aware of the costs, or if you don't have a program in place to eliminate this drain on your profits, perhaps you should look at these facts:

• 73% of all illegal drug users are employed. One in every 12 full-time employees reports the current use of illicit drugs or alcohol.
  
• Abusers of illicit drugs are absent from work 3 times more often than non abusers.
  
• Substance abusers are 25% less productive.
  
• The expenses and losses related to substance abuse are estimated to average 25% of the salary of each worker affected.
  
• Substance abusers are involved in 3 times more on-the-job accidents and are 5 times more likely to file a Workers' Compensation claim. These claims are, on average, 1.5 times more sever.
  
• Nearly 57% of currently employed drug users work for companies employing fewer than 25 employees.
  

So what is it going to cost you? Let's look at the facts. If you employ 100 workers with an average salary of $20,000, and estimating that 1 in 12 employees is a drug-abuser, we can calculate that it may cost your company approximately $41,500 a year in expenses and losses related to substance abuse. However, to drug test it may only cost you $3,000; a gain of $38,500 a year!

Creating a Drug and Alcohol Free Work Environment

1. Policy Development

To become a substance-abuse prevention program, a company must adopt a written policy, including:

• The reason for initiating drug testing
  
• Employees subject to testing
  
• Sanctions applied in the even of a positive test result or refusal to give a sample for testing
  
• A detailed description of the testing procedure to ensure fairness and legality, your attorney should review your policy prior to implementation.
  

2. Education and Training

The more employees learn about the company's substance abuse policy, the less likely they are to use drugs and alcohol or challenge the policy if there is a positive test result. Noble County Partners for A Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace can assist you with training of supervisory personnel and employees. In addition to educating and training your employees you will be helping the employees who are parents have knowledge that will assist them not only in their work lives but also in their personal lives in keeping their families drug and alcohol free.

3. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

An EAP provides confidential assistance to employees with personal problems relating to substance abuse, mental health, and so on. Employees are valuable resources. An EAP provides employees the opportunity to gain help before their problem jeopardizes employment.

4. Drug and Alcohol Testing

The most comprehensive and effective programs include:

• Post-job Offer Drug Testing
  
• Post-Accident Drug and alcohol Testing
  
• Random Drug Testing
  
• Reasonable Suspicion Drug and Alcohol Testing