Working Partners at Work

Working Partners is a U.S. Department of Labor initiative that raises awareness about the impact drugs and alcohol have on the workplace and helps employers and employees work together to ensure their workplaces are free of the hazards of alcohol and drug abuse.

Key to all of Working Partners’ efforts is collaboration. Working Partners works closely with many organizations, including DOL’s agencies and other federal departments, to help them address workplace substance abuse as it impacts their goals. For examples of these collaborative activities, please see below.

DOL Agencies

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
• Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and
  Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

Other Federal Agencies

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

In addition, Working Partners conducts a number of outreach activities targeted at the employment community, such as:

• Leading the Drug-Free Workplace Alliance, DOL's first-ever cooperative agreement focusing exclusively on improving worker safety and health in the construction industry through drug-free workplace programs;
• Managing and promoting Drug-Free Work Week, which takes place annually in the fall;
• Developing and disseminating training and educational materials;
• Working with business, trade and professional associations to deliver drug-free workplace information to their members;
• Participating in conferences targeting employers, human resource professionals, safety officers and other stakeholders; and
• Publishing articles in relevant magazines and newsletters.

Working Partners also develops and maintains a variety of free tools and resources to help employers build programs and provide drug and alcohol education in the workplace. These include:

• The Drug-Free Workplace Advisor and Program Builder, an interactive tool that helps businesses build tailored drug-free workplace policies and programs and provides information about coverage and requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.
• Various drug-free workplace materials including brochures, presentation materials, articles and fact sheets, and posters.
• Directories of national and state substance abuse prevention organizations and state laws impacting drug-free workplace issues.

• Archives