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Substance abuse in the workplace has a tremendous effect on the bottom line. As substance abuse rises and goes untreated, profitability is impacted by decreased productivity, as well as increased accidents, absenteeism, turnover, and medical costs.
This chat will explore how employers can improve their bottom lines by taking an active role in addressing the substance abuse problems of their employees and doing all they can to support substance abuse recovery efforts.
Our host, Elena Carr, oversees the Department's Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-free Workplace program-- an outreach and information dissemination initiative to encourage and assist work organizations to implement such programs. Ms. Carr also represents the Department on various interagency working groups of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.Join us for this Web chat to discuss effective workplace strategies for addressing addiction.
Ms. Carr has provided training and technical assistance on how to implement effective drug-free workplace programs to both labor unions and businesses. From 1994 to 1997 Ms. Carr served as Director of the Substance Abuse Institute at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies, AFL-CIO. From 1990 to 1994 she worked for the Corporation Against Drug Abuse (CADA), a business-based substance abuse prevention coalition, where she organized a consortium to deliver drug-free workplace services to small businesses. Prior to that, Ms. Carr was the Coordinator for the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) of the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO where she provided consultative assistance to the union peer counselors who delivered services to their members.
Ms. Carr has a Masters degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Views and opinions expressed by non-CSAT staff members in the Web chats and Web casts should not be interpreted as official CSAT policy, but as the views and opinions of the individuals participating in these events.
Live Chat With Elena Carr, Substance Abuse Program Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy
MODERATOR: Welcome to the CSAT Recovery Month's Live Chat. This afternoon we will discuss how employers can improve their bottom lines by taking an active role in addressing the substance abuse problems of their employees. Our guest is Elena Carr who oversees the Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-free Workplace program.
MODERATOR: The chat has begun and we will answer the first question in a moment.
Elena Carr: I am pleased to be here as part of Recovery Month because I think that employers and workplace organizations can have an important role in preventing drug abuse. The Department has an active program to help educate employers, but it's important that I clarify that. My answers here today are intended to help employers develop drug-free workplace programs, but do not represent any official Department of Labor policy or guidance.
MODERATOR: I represent a small business and I'd like to develop a workplace policy on drug/alcohol abuse for my employees. Where do I begin and is there anyone I should have review the policy to ensure that it meets quality standards?
lerola: How do you handle this situation: I have identified at least two teachers that I believe are active alcoholics on staff at a local high school (based upon physical observation). The majority of staff appears to know this but no one takes a direct approach. Both these teachers are tenured and have an excellent history. The politics are severe in the school as well...how do I approach administration, when the view clearly is 'mind your own business?'
Elena Carr:To answer the first question: Fortunately, once a small employer decides to develop a drug-free workplace policy, there are numerous sources of help available. Here are a few: DOL has recently revised our "Small Employer Workplace Kit" which is currently available from NCADI (1-800-967-5752) and will soon be available online at http://wwww.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm. Working Partners also includes "Steps to a Drug-free Workplace" which is a good brief overview and our newest feature.
Elena Carr: The second question: It sounds to me that you are among the teaching staff, so I'm going to assume that in my answer. This is a very touchy area. You need to find out what in fact is the policy on substance abuse in the high school for the faculty, first and foremost. If there is no such policy, your main concern in the workplace has to be how the teachers perform in the workplace. Simply being alcoholic in and of itself is not your business. You may want to look to see if there is an existing employee assistance program, which may also be known as a faculty assistance program. Overall, I would recommend that you would bring up the issue of establishing the policy to help deal with this situation rather than taking it upon yourself to intervene single-handedly in this particular situation.
lerola: While I agree with every thing you have said and you are right simply being an alcoholic is not anyone's business, my concern is the fact the you can smell the alcohol (from a distance). What message does that send to the students? If I can smell the alcohol, then they can as well.
Elena Carr: I do agree that it is not appropriate for teachers to show up for work smelling of alcohol or being under the influence of alcohol or any other substance. However, the perameters for appropriate behavior need to be spelled out clearly. Without that policy, it would be very difficult to intervene effectively. As to that policy, you may want to convene meetings with other faculty that establishes a policy that sets the perameters for appropriate job behavior.
MODERATOR: This question was sent in yesterday: When is the most appropriate time to confront an employee who you think has a substance abuse problem? Also, how should it be done?
Elena Carr: It is best to confront an employee who you think may have a substance abuse problem only when you have observed and documented a pattern of problematic job performance. In many instances a supervisor never needs to confront an employee specifically about suspected drug use, but rather can intervene solely based on job performance indicators.
Elena Carr: At this time a supervisor can offer the employee the opportunity to utilize an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other community mental health resources if the employee believes or indicates that a personal problem, such as substance abuse, is the cause of the performance problems. This type of interview should be done in private whenever possible.
Elena Carr: If your workplace has drug-testing based on reasonable suspicion, the confrontation would be similar except that the supervisor would necessarily have to refer the employee for a drug test, as a means of ruling out or confirming drug use. The procedures for such supervisory interventions should be clearly spelled out and supervisors should be trained in advance on how to refer. Likewise, employees should be educated about the policy and understand how such referrals will be made.
Elena Carr: For more details on how and when to confront suspected employee drug use check out the following url: http://www.elaws.dol.gov/asp/drugfree/drugs/supervisor/screen56.asp. There are also tips for handling "crisis situations" when they occur and you don't have time to prepare for a planned confrontation.
Jason Rossman: My company currently doesn't offer EAP services and I want to know how I should suggest to employees that they seek substance abuse treatment?
Elena Carr: Again, I'm going to assume that you are in a supervisory role, and will suggest to you that you focus on your employees' job performance. You should observe and document their job performance and use that as a basis for speaking with the employee. If they reveal to you that there is some sort of personal problem such as substance abuse, which is accounting for their problems at work-such as coming in late, or their performance, or interaction with a client-then at that point you may want to suggest that they seek help from a community service provider (mental health agencies, substance abuse treatment agencies) but your role as a supervisor is to ensure that their performance improves.
Elena Carr: The basic rules are to observe, document, confront the job performance problem, refer to some outside sources for help, and then continue to monitor the job performance. This is all outlined in a lot of places, one of which is our Web site: http://www.dol.gov/dol/workingpartners.htm.
Elena Carr: I believe that although private sector employers may choose to include searches of company property (lockers, desks, etc.) as part of their drug-free workplace program, in most instances such extreme measures are not necessary. If there is clear evidence of high incidence of workplace drug use - and possibly of dealing drugs from a workplace - it may be warranted. Of course, if you are a public sector employer there are serious privacy considerations. I would think that searches would be more justifiable if there was documented reason to suspect workplace drug activity. I would recommend you check with an attorney prior to conducting any kind of drug search - with dogs or any other method.
MODERATOR: As an employer, how do I balance my need for knowing if a potential employee I am interviewing has a drug/alcohol problem and the need to respect the applicant's right to privacy?
Elena Carr: Because a person who is an alcoholic or addict may be an "individual with a disability" under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) it is not a good idea to ask about past history of alcohol or drug problems during an employment interview. So, I would recommend that you steer clear of such questions. You need to keep your questions related to the individual's ability to perform the essential elements of the job for which they are interviewing. You may ask about current use of illegal drugs.
MODERATOR: When an employee is being taken for a reasonable suspicion test, is there a standard or protocol for who transports the employee to the test site? I work for a county agency and we are presently using ambulance or police transport for county employees in various county departments, however, there is no standard policy. Due to liability issues, supervisors and or union personnel are discouraged from transporting. Are there any other suggestions?
Elena Carr: Tough one! I'm not aware of any standard protocol, but you may want to check with one of the associations such as DATIA or SAPAA whose members include many third party administrators who have undoubtedly encountered this issue at a variety of worksites. The cardinal rule is that you don't let the individual being tested for reasonable suspicion drive! I've heard of taxicabs being used in some cases. Of course, if you want to make sure the individual gets to the test (which presumably you do) you probably want him/her to be escorted by company personnel. I've heard of concerns about liability limiting who can transport employees to drug testing, but it seems there must be some way of getting sufficient insurance to cover a few designated "transporters." I would think that would be less costly than using ambulance and police transport.
Guest3: How might concerns differ for small vs. large businesses? For example, can small businesses afford EAP services?
Elena Carr: I think the concern for large and small businesses are very similar in that workers' drug use can have drastic effects on their bottom line. However, as you know, small businesses may be at a disadvantage in terms of having the resources to develop a comprehensive drug-free workplace program. The key for small businesses is to start small and begin thinking about what kind of policy and program would be feasible. Some small businesses may want to start by simply drafting a policy and providing education to their employees about what the policy is and what its intent is. That's a place to start and there are a lot of resources to help them do that, including our Web site which I mentioned earlier (we have related links for additional help). The key is to start incrementally and build your program as your resources permit. One strategy that many small employers find useful is to join with other small employers and purchase EAP services and possibly drug testing services as part of a consortium.
Guest3: Are employers in the transportation industry held to higher drug abuse scrutiny than other industries: Could other professions benefit from the lessons they've learned?
Elena Carr: Yes, in many regards, individuals who perform safety-sensitive jobs within the transportation industry are held to very high standards regarding alcohol and drug use. This is because of the consequences of impairment caused by alcohol and drugs to the safety of the public. As a result, the Department of Transportation has issued very comprehensive regulations spelling out when and how drug and alcohol testing must be conducted. These regulations have indeed become kind of a gold standard to which other employers can look for guidance in developing their own drug-free workplace program. However, it's important for employers to recognize that they may or may not have the same kind of safety concerns as there are throughout the transportation industry and so some of the strategies may not transfer to their workplace. Also, it's important to recognize that the transportation regulations leave a lot of policy decisions up to the employer - for instance, the decision as to whether or not to return individuals to their jobs following removal and referral to treatment. The option is available under the Department of Transportation for employers to return their employees to the workplace after positive drug screening.
Elena Carr: But the employers looking to those regulations as guidelines can't just adopt them as they are, they still need to make important policy decisions for their workplace.
Elena Carr: Although there are no absolute guarantees in recovery nor in life, there are ways to protect against a relapse. By having in place supportive services such as an Employee Assistance Program that not only helps to identify, assess, and refer treatment to individuals with substance abuse and other problems but, one that can also support the re-entry and recovery of individuals following a treatment episode. Drug testing on an unannounced basis can also be used to ensure compliance with the drug-free workplace policy. Following treatment, many recovering individuals recognize that drug tests can help them stay clean and sober as well as protect the employer.
Elena Carr: As an employer/supervisor you want to be careful not to get too curious or intrusive about an individual's recovery process, but you should remain alert to changes in job performance which could signal a relapse and intervene appropriately to put an employee on notice and possibly re-refer to the EAP.
Elena Carr: Some workplace accommodations may also be needed to be sure the employee can get to continuing treatment and/or to self-help support groups that can be key to successful recovery.
wm beard: How difficult is it to change a workplace culture where the norm has been for workers to bond around the use of alcohol and drugs? Is this particularly difficult when the abuse takes place outside the workplace among workers at the same company?
Elena Carr: Although difficult, it's not impossible to change workplace culture surrounding alcohol and drug use. It does take substantial commitment from all levels of the organization to do so.
Elena Carr:It begins, again, with developing a sound policy and approach to drug and alcohol use. There are a lot of outstanding examples of organizations that have changed their workplace culture. Some of the most successful have been instigated by the employees themselves.
Elena Carr: For example, one small employer told me once that every Friday the happy hour used to start during working hours and would continue thereafter on Friday. They replaced it by bringing in a popcorn making machine and had a social activity revolving around popcorn instead of alcohol. That was just one way of changing the workplace culture. Underlying all of that needs to be a clearly communicated policy and buy-in.
MODERATOR: That concludes our chat for this afternoon. To learn more about recovery and Recovery Month, please visit: http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/2001. Thank you for your participation. Elena, thank you for lending your expertise.