Drug Free Workplace

1. Drug Free Workplace

2. The Facts About Drugs • 1. 6% of the population over 12 years old has used drugs in the past 30 days. • 2. 73% of all current drug users aged 18 and older are employed. • 3. 14% of Americans employed full or part-time report heavy drinking. The heaviest drinking occurred between the ages of 18 and 25.

3. The Facts About Drugs • 4. Construction workers, sales personnel, and restaurant employees reported the highest rate of illegal drug usage. • 5. The occupations with the heaviest alcohol use included general laborers, machine operators, transportation employees, and restaurant employees.

4. The Facts About Drugs • 6. In 1990 , drug and alcohol use cost American businesses $81.6 million. • 7. Employees who report illicit drug use indicated that they averaged 3 or more employers in 1 year. • 8. A survey of callers on the national cocaine help line indicated that 75% had used drugs on the job.

5. Symptoms of Drug Abuse • 1. Inconsistent Work Quality. • 2. Poor concentration. • 3. Lowered Productivity. • 4. Increased Absenteeism. • 5. Mistakes. • 6. Errors in Judgment. • 7. Needless Risk Taking. • 8. Extended Lunch Breaks or Early Departures from work.

6. Symptoms of Drug Abuse • 9. Frequent personal financial problems. • 10. Avoidance of colleagues. • 11. Blaming Others for Problems. • 12. Complaints about problems at home. • 13. Deterioration of appearance. • 14. Constant illnesses.

7. Drug Free Workplace-Why? • Rule 36 – Act 1552 of 1999 promotes voluntary drub free workplaces in Arkansas businesses. • Approved Drug Free Workplaces will receive a premium credit on their Worker’s Compensation Insurance of at least 5%. • Worker’s will become more productive, show up on time, make good decisions, and employee turnover should decrease.

8. How Do You Establish a Drug Free Workplace? • 1. Write a substance abuse policy. • 2. Train Supervisors. • 3. Educate your employees. • 4. Provide Employee Assistance. • 5. Drug and Alcohol Testing.

9. How Do You Establish a Drug Free Workplace? Step 1- Writing a Substance Abuse Policy Statement.

10. Substance Abuse Policy • 1. It should include an explanation of why you are implementing the program. An important consideration may be the safety of your employees, customers, and the general public. Other reasons may include health of employees, productivity, public liability, and legal requirements.

11. Substance Abuse Policy • 2. The policy should have a clear description of substance abuse related behaviors that are prohibited. At a minimum this should include the use, possession, and transfer or sale of illegal drugs. Unacceptable behavior also may include employees under the influence of alcohol or other drugs while at work.

12. Substance Abuse Policy • 3. Finally, the policy should include a thorough explanation of the consequences for violations of the policy. • 4. Your policy should include and identify all of the elements of your program including employee assistance programs and drug testing programs. • 5. Essentially your policy should include everything that will affect them and their options should a substance abuse problem occur.

13. Step 2 • Training Supervisors

14. Effective Supervisor Training Program • 1. Supervisors are educated on the company’s policy and understand their role in its implementation and maintenance. • 2. Supervisors are educated on observe and documenting unsatisfactory job performance. • 3. Supervisors are educated on the effects of substance abuse in the workplace. • 4. Supervisors are educated on how to refer an employee suspected of having a drug or alcohol problem to those qualified to make a diagnosis and offer assistance.

15. Step 3 • Educating Your Employees

16. Employee Education Program • 1. Provide them with information about the dangers of alcohol and drugs and how they can affect individuals and families. • 2. Describe the impact drugs and alcohol can have on safety at work, company productivity, product quality, absenteeism, health care costs, accident rates, and the companies bottom line.

17. Employee Education Program • 3. Explain in detail how your Drug Free Workplace Policy applies to every employee of the company and the consequences for violation of the policy. • 4. Describe the basic components of your Drug Free Workplace program including Employee assistance plan. • 5. Explain how employees and their dependents if included can get help for their substance abuse problems.

18. Step 4 • Providing Employee Assistance

19. Employee Assistance • 1. Contact companies in your area that provide employee drug assistance programs and learn about their programs – what they offer, how the service is provided, the costs, and more importantly the results. • 2. Find out if there are groups or organizations that can assist you with your EAP.

20. Step 5 • Drug and Alcohol Testing

21. Drug and Alcohol Testing • 1. Who will you test? – applicants, all employees, select employees, etc. • 2. When will you test? – after accidents or on a periodic basis. • 3. For what substances will you test?-Rule 36 requires that you test for the following: Amphetamines, marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, PCP, and Alcohol.

22. Drug and Alcohol Testing • 4. What consequences will employees and applicants face if they test positive? • 5. Who will administer your testing program?

23. Drug Free Program Approval Process • 1. An employer wanting to acknowledge compliance with a drug free workplace can submit an application to the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission.- The division will notify the employer of their acceptance. • 2. The division will review the application and notify the employer of any deficiencies that must be corrected.

24. Drug Free Program Approval Process • 3. Substantial compliance in completing and filing the form shall create the fact that the employer has establish a Drug Free Work Place. • 4. Employer will provide the commission acceptance form to their insurer to receive premium credit.

25. Drug Free Program Approval Process • 5. The employer needs to maintain the drug free workplace program or they will lose their premium credit on Workers' Comp insurance. • 6. All employers qualifying for the premium credit under Rule 36 must be reported annually by the insurer to the director of the Arkansas workers’ Comp Commission.

26. Results of a Drug Free Workplace • A small plumbing company in Washington DC saved $385,000 in one year by establishing a drug free work place through decreased accidents, lower workers’ comp premiums, and lower vehicle insurance premiums. • A mechanical contractor in Florida is saving $100,000 a year on their workers’ Comp insurance by implementing a drug free work place. • A landscaping company in Arizona saved $50,000 due to increased productivity, fewer accidents, less absenteeism, and lower employee turnover.

27. Results of a Drug Free Workplace • A restaurant in Florida reported decreasing employee turnover from 1.6 to 1 to .75 to 1 by implementing a drug free workplace. • Ohio which has had drug free workplace programs for a few years report that the program has reduced absenteeism by 89%, tardiness by 92%, and on-the-job injuries by 57%.