WEB CHAT:	Business Community Voices for Recovery
HOST:	Elena Carr, Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace, U.S. Department of Labor
WHEN:	September 24, 2003, 3:00-4:00 pm EST
SPONSOR:	CSAT

After watching “Business Community Voices for Recovery,” you will likely have many questions such as:

• What do businesses stand to gain by adopting drug-free workplace policies?
• What effect do substance use disorders have on a business’ bottom line?

You can ask these questions and more as part of a “live” online discussion with Elena Carr, Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace program, on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 from 3 to 4 p.m. EST. Be a part of this lively exchange, mark your calendar today, and post your questions in advance in the form below.

Flier for Webcast on 9/17/03 and Web chat on 9/24/03: Business Community Voices for Recovery
Interested organizations and others can downloadable this flier and use it to help promote Recovery Month multimedia events. You can use this as a handout at meetings, in information racks, as well as other public venues.

Chat Transcript

MODERATOR: Welcome to the Recovery Month 2003 Web chat. Our host today is Elena Carr from Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace, U.S. Department of Labor. This Web chat will explore the benefits to businesses, large and small, that are actively supporting treatment for substance use disorders and promoting recovery in the workplace.

Now we are ready for the first question. This question was previously submitted.

How can businesses support the recovery of their employees?

Elena Carr: I think there are many ways an employer can support recovery of employees, primarily by having what we call a recovery friendly work environment, which includes a comprehensive drug-free workplace program-meaning that an employer makes it known that drug use is incompatible with working there but at the same time provides opportunities for treatment and return to work following treatment. Some employers offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) that can provide ongoing support to individuals in recovery. Others offer meeting places for recovery or 12-step groups and some offer mentors or peer support, which are enabling workers in recovery to help those new in recovery to deal with some of the workplace challenges to recovery. Those are a couple of the ways.

Lee: What should someone who is in recovery or who has just graduated from a recovery program look for when researching a company at which to work?

Elena Carr: Again, I think an employer that has a commitment to a drug-free workplace should be a good place to work for someone in recovery provided that the program includes access to treatment. What someone should avoid is an employer who has a test-and-terminate approach to worker drug use because that indicates that they are interested in preventing those with alcohol and drug problems from working there, but they are not invested in supporting recovery. I would suggest looking for a drug-free workplace policy and reading the policy to see if it includes language that states the company understands that addiction to alcohol and drugs is a disease, and has invested in allowing employees to get treatment and return to work.

MODERATOR: This question was previously submitted.

What effect do stigma and discrimination have on a company's willingness to support and promote addiction treatment and recovery?

Elena Carr: I think the stigma associated with alcohol and drug addiction is the greatest barrier to employers embracing a recovery friendly workplace program because addiction is recognized as a relapsing disease. Employers are often fearful that allowing for treatment and return to work might result in catastrophic incidents or accidents that gives them a rationale for discriminating against people in recovery. Those in recovery and in the treatment community need to do a better job of communicating to employers. Although addiction is a chronic disease, it is a manageable disease, and those in ongoing treatment and committed to recovery really pose little risk in terms of on-the-job incidents. In fact, employees in recovery can be extremely motivated to learn new skills to be productive, dedicated, and reliable employees.

Terry: What is the best route for an employee who wants to seek recovery without letting his or her supervisor know?

The best route is when the employee contacts the EAP professional, when one is available at the workplace. Through an EAP, the employee's confidentiality is protected so that neither the supervisor nor other employees will know that the worker is dealing with alcoholism or drug addiction. It is the EAP's job to get that person the appropriate help needed through self-help, 12-step groups, or treatment. Unfortunately not all companies have EAPs available, although many do. In that case, I recommend that an employee contact a community-based treatment provider, AA, or NA, and find resources within the community. In terms of dealing with the work situation, you may need to let the supervisor know there is a medical situation or ask for leave, but this may be done without disclosing the nature of the leave. It depends on the level of treatment or assistance needed as to what you need to share with the employer. Without the EAP, it does become riskier to explain absences for treatment, but may be worth the risk if addiction is destroying your life.

mkrocks: Can you talk a little about Federal resources available to EAPs, such as getfit.samhsa.gov?

Elena Carr: The e-mailer has identified the SAMHSA resource, but I understand the getfit.samhsa.gov site offers private or confidential assessments of alcohol and drug use. These can be used as a way of helping individuals acknowledge problems they may have with their alcohol and drug use and be a tool for the EAP to motivate an individual to get the help that they need. As I understand, these can be tailored in some way to be used in community organizations, by EAPS, and as an online private assessment tool. Another resource near and dear to my heart is the Department of Labor's Working Partners Web site at http://www.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm. This site has materials that EAPs and others can use to fortify their EAP and particularly their drug-free workplace program, of which the EAP would be one component. Of particular use to the EAP is training and educational materials available to do supervisory training, employee education, PowerPoint presentations that can be downloaded and tailored to reflect the particular employer policy or program, and handout materials that are available free at that Web site. Another resource at the Working Partners Web site is the Drug-Free Workplace Advisor, which helps employers or EAPs working with employers to develop a tailored drug-free workplace program. There are also resource directories, including helplines and State resources in the community that may be of use to EAPs or employers who do not have EAPs and need the connection to those community resources.

Renee T.: What do you suggest to employers who want to offer supportive services and have an EAP, but don't feel they can afford it?

Elena Carr: I think even the smallest employer can do something to support treatment and recovery in the workplace. EAPs are not as cost prohibitive as sometimes thought. The prices can be diminished if an employer joins a consortium or creates a consortium. In other words, if several employers have the desire or need, they can negotiate for the EAP rather than go at it alone. So my first advice is to try to find a way to purchase EAP services. If that is not viable, the employer needs to have a policy that clearly communicates that drug use is not acceptable but help is available in the community. Even providing employees with handouts or materials that list faith-based organizations, treatment in the community, and NA and AA would demonstrate an employer's commitment to help employees get the help they need. Beyond that, providing any educational materials to help employees understand when they or their family members could benefit from help is useful.

Wendy: What role does the U.S. Department of Labor play in establishing "best practices" for businesses that might encounter substance use disorders, addiction treatment, and/or recovery?

Elena Carr: The U.S. Department of Labor has an ongoing educational and outreach program called Working Partners. Through this, we try to make employers aware of the general components of the comprehensive drug-free workplace program. At this point we have not established specific criteria for identifying best practices; however, we do have information on our Web site about employers' success stories. We have also worked with the Small Business Administration to write up successful employer practices for small businesses. Those are available on the SBA Web site. There are initiatives within the Department of Labor that recognize exemplary safety and health programs, many of which include a drug-free workplace element. These safety and health programs are recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is an agency within the Department of Labor. Working Partners has begun exploring the possibility with OSHA of publicizing the importance of drug-free workplace programs as a part of the safety and health program.

Terry: How can companies tie into faith-based or community-based support groups?

Elena Carr: I think employers have an opportunity to make resources available to their employees by inviting faith-based organizations or support groups to provide services. Certainly, many employers already offer meeting space for 12-step meetings. Doing so for other kinds of community-based organizations would also be a way, particularly when an employer does not have an EAP available. Having some connection or knowing what community organizations can help their employees with alcoholism or addiction would be a vital first step. Then, when employees exhibit performance problems that could be related to alcohol or drug use, an employer would be in the position to make a direct referral to existing community organizations.

Ray B.: As an employee, what can I do to encourage my employer to adopt a drug-free workplace policy and offer support to those employees who need treatment?

Elena Carr: As an employee you can start by speaking up and finding someone like a human resource manager who you can talk to and educate about alcohol and drug addiction and the resources available to employers to help deal with those issues. I encourage you to look at the Working Partners Web site, look at success stories, learn how others have dealt with the issues, and share this with your employer. If you are comfortable doing so, sharing personal examples of individuals who have benefited from drug treatment and/or workplace drug policies can be very powerful. Another strategy might be to gather support among other employees and, if you have a labor union, educate the leadership of the union and propose a joint labor management committee on this issue. I think the real key, however you do it, is to educate the employer about the benefits to the workplace in terms of greater productivity, lower absenteeism, lower turnover, and dedicated employees of having a program in place.

Lee: How has the weakened economy affected the demand for drug-free workplace programs?

Elena Carr: When the labor market was tighter and we had lower unemployment, I think employers had more reason to invest in treatment and retaining workers. With the weakened economy, I fear there is greater temptation for employers to simply exclude employees with drug and alcohol problems from working through pre-employment testing and not investing in providing treatment. At the same time, when the economy was stronger, there was a little less willingness to use drug testing on a pre-employment basis since there were fewer workers to fill jobs. So, as the economy waxes and wanes, there are slight differences in the appeal of different elements of the drug-free workplace program. Certainly, we are looking to cut costs in many ways, so it is even more important that we demonstrate that it is a really good return on investment to have all the elements of a drug-free workplace in place.

Wendy: What impact does the employee in need of addiction treatment have on other employees and the workplace environment as a whole?

Elena Carr: An employee who needs treatment but is not seeking treatment has an enormous negative impact on the workplace. Coworkers may often notice that they are working harder to make up for an impaired coworker. In fact, it is not uncommon for coworkers to attempt to cover up a coworker's drug impairment. Over time it certainly decreases employee moral, increases the likelihood of altercations between employees, and very often a drug-using employee may be responsible for or may cause accidents. Drug-using employees are less likely to be reliable and more likely to be absent more. All of these things result in lower productivity in the workplace and poor morale. On the other hand, should that individual recognize the problem, seek help, and have it available, it sends an important message that they are valued and that problems will be dealt with appropriately. The result is increased productivity and work morale.

Lee: Hospitals and healthcare facilities are known to sometimes have problems with prescription drug abuse among staff. How do the attitudes and recovery support for hospital employees differ from other workplaces?

Elena Carr: Certainly, healthcare facilities and hospitals have greater access to prescription drugs, and as a result it is a significant problem in the healthcare industry. However, many healthcare providers have attained stable recovery and have been able to return to their profession. Most often, those who are successful have a great deal of professional and peer support in their recovery. They probably need to be subject to higher monitoring and scrutiny because the consequences of return to use are significant when users are dealing with people's lives and health. I think the key is a combination of a solid policy of clear expectations coupled with peer and support networks.

Wendy: What can employers do to help transition an individual who received addiction treatment back into the workplace?

Elena Carr: Again I think the key to transitioning someone back into the workplace is to have a confidential service like EAP. Individuals who have been away from the workplace face challenges coming back. It is not necessary to announce or publicize where this individual has been; a great deal of discretion is needed.

Wendy: Are drug-free workplace policies protected under the law?

Elena Carr: Drug-free workplace policies are not regulated by any Federal authority for the general private sector. An employer has great latitude in establishing a policy and regulating it. There are some States that specify how a drug-free workplace policy should be implemented so that if an employer follows those specifications, the employer has some protection from lawsuits.

betty: How do workplace drug programs vary? What are some of the differences in them?

Elena Carr: Drug-free workplace programs vary a great deal from workplace to workplace. Some of that variance is due to what is appropriate at a particular workplace. For instance, workplaces where safety is at stake may have less tolerance for drug use, resulting in a zero-tolerance policy where any infraction may result in termination. Workplaces might also include drug testing as a key component of the drug-free workplace program. When safety is less at stake, employers may be more likely to offer treatment or repeated opportunity for treatment. Another variance is related to the size of the organization, with large employers likely to offer a comprehensive program that includes policy, education, supervisory training, drug testing, and an EAP. Smaller employers may only be able to do a policy and some education of employees. I would say that the greatest variance lies in whether or not an employer supports and makes available treatment opportunities and welcomes recovered individuals back into their workplace. These are policy decisions that are made by an employer based on industry, their understanding of policy implications, and their understanding of addiction. So the important thing is to make sure that the employers have all the necessary information available to make sound decisions on how to deal with substance use disorders in the workplace.

MODERATOR: Here are some links to publications and resources that you may find useful on this topic:

Making Your Workplace Drug Free: A Kit for Employers
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/workit/

U.S. Department of Labor: Working Partners
http://www.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm

If you are an employer and would like information on creating and implementing a prevention and treatment program for your employees, call the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention's Workplace Helpline at 1-800-843-4971.

Our hour has concluded. For more information, visit CSAT's Recovery Month Web Site at http://www.recoverymonth.gov. Visit the multimedia area (http://www.recoverymonth.gov/2003/multimedia/) to view transcripts of Web chats and archived Webcasts on various topics from the 2003 Recovery Month season. You can also watch the archived version of the Webcast that complements this Web chat at http://www.recoverymonth.gov/2003/multimedia/w.aspx?ID=226.

Join us next month for our concluding show (check the Recovery Month Web site for the date). We would like to thank our host, Elena Carr from Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace, U.S. Department of Labor, for her participation in this online event, and thank our participants for their questions. This transcript will be available shortly so that others may benefit from the dialogue. The chat has now officially ended.