Problem at Work 8: Drinking, Drugs, & Testing on the Job

This continues our series on problems at work that can lose your job or stall your career

Drinking, drugs and testing create problems for careers. While many encourage or rationalize drug and other abuse at work, companies increasingly test to eliminate such abuses. Several factors drive companies to implement stricter surveillance and zero tolerance policies: corporate liability, reduced production, increased health costs and absenteeism. Failure to pass a drug test most frequently results in immediate termination.

Social versus Corporate Acceptance

Social acceptance of heavy drinking and drug use accelerated in the past two decades. We witness scenes of drunken celebrities coming out of clubs and repeatedly entering rehab. In addition, fictional stories of office drug use and drinking remain a staple of prime time television and especially cable.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) states “Today, in some industries, taking a drug test is as routine as filling out a job application. In fact, workplace drug testing is up 277% from 1987” While the ACLU does not endorse drug testing, they admit “Employers have a right to expect workers not to be high or drunk on the job.”

Companies Fight Back Against Losses

Pre-Employment Drug Screening (PDS) shares the following

“Drug testing has become an important safety issue in the workplace for Human Resources and Safety professionals. A large percentage of Fortune 500 companies perform drug testing. The purpose is to lessen the impact from drug abuse in the workplace, including tardiness, absenteeism, turnover, attitude problems, theft, decreased productivity, crime and violence. The US Department of Labor estimates that drug use in the workplace costs employers $75 to $100 billion dollars annually in lost time, accidents, health care and workers compensation costs. 65% of all accidents on the job are related to drug or alcohol, and substance abusers utilize 16 times as many health care benefits and are 6 times more likely to file workers compensation claims then non-abusers. (The articles stipulates that the various studies used estimates rather than hard fact numbers.)

Return Friday to review how mistakes can cost you your job or stall your career