Majority of US Employers: Prescription Drug Misuse Is Grounds for Termination
Workplace can play a key role in helping addicted employees
March 21, 2017 | About: BICX
A majority of American employers believe that prescription drug misuse in workplaces is a justifiable reason to terminate an employee, according to a survey by the National Safety Council (NSC).
The survey interviewed 501 companies across a geographically representative sample of U.S. employers with 50 or more employees. It found that a big 70% of employers admit feeling the direct impact of prescription drug abuses, and 71% of those polled consider prescription drug abuse a disease that needs to be treated.
"Employers must understand that the most dangerously misused drug today may be sitting in employees' medicine cabinets," said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the NSC. "Even when they are taken as prescribed, prescription drugs and opioids can impair workers and create hazards on the job. We hope these findings prompt employers to take the lead on this emerging issue so that workplaces can be as safe as possible."
Brady Granier, president, CEO and director of BioCorRx Inc. (BICX), agrees that this is a disease and added that there is a need for EAP programs to begin adopting medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs that use naltrexone and outpatient therapy more rapidly. He feels that it’s not only an effective and efficient form of treatment for many but that it can allow one to be in recovery while productively working.
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Granier said there is a correlation between drug abuse and job status in the U.S. He added that drug abuse diminishes a person’s employment status because of lost productivity and declining work performance.
Employers lose $81 billion annually due to drug abuse
Data from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc. (NCADD) estimates drug abuse losses to employers reach $81 billion annually. According to the NCADD, 70% of the 14.8 million Americans suspected of using illegal drugs are working.
Indeed, over the past 10 years, the number of American workers abusing drugs has reached an all-time high. A workplace urine drug test conducted by Quest Diagnostics showed a 4% increase among 9.5 million urine drug tests in the U.S. workforce in 2015 compared to 3.9% in 2014. The tests also showed that cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamines are the favored illicit drugs in the U.S. workforce.
And the number could go higher.
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) added that the U.S. workplace must prepare itself for the possible impacts of the changing acceptance toward marijuana and its medicinal and recreational purposes as well as new state laws decriminalizing its use.
Pam Carter, R.N. and president of AAOHN, commented on the trend: “Twenty states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to legalize medical marijuana and two states have approved its recreational use by adults. With growing advocacy, other states seem ready to follow. Mainly because of such rapid change, both of our associations believe it is time to address workplace health and safety concerns when workers have impaired functioning from this and other drugs.”
Employees caught selling drugs in the workplace
More alarming than lost productivity and tardiness is the admission of at least 14% of the employers polled by the NSC that they caught an employee selling drugs in the workplace. Other findings cited the following issues because of prescription drug use: 39% said workers have been caught taking drugs while on the clock; 39% said absenteeism; 32% said a positive drug test indicated use; 29% said a worker had been found to be impaired or showed decreased work output; 29% said a family member complained; 22% said another employee complained to human resources; and15% said an injury or near-miss occurred.
The NCADD added these problem areas caused by prescription drug use: After-effects of substance use (hangover, withdrawal) affecting job performance; poor decision making; loss of efficiency; theft; lower morale of co-workers; increased likelihood of having trouble with co-workers/supervisors or tasks; preoccupation with obtaining and using substances while at work, interfering with attention and concentration; illegal activities at work including selling illicit drugs to other employees; higher turnover; training of new employees; and disciplinary procedures.
What employers can do
The workplace can play a crucial role in addressing drug dependency, according to NCADD. Employers can establish programs such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and promote a drug-free workplace program (DFWP). Employers can also provide additional incentives by encouraging their families to refer a suspected drug addict to community resources and services.
Many individuals and families face a host of difficulties closely associated with problem drinking and drug use and bring these problems into the workplace directly or indirectly. By encouraging and supporting treatment, employers can dramatically assist in reducing the negative impact of alcoholism and addiction in the workplace.
The NSC also recommends that employers put strong policies in place against prescription drug misuse while expanding drug testing panels to include opioids. Training supervisors and employees on how to spot signs of misuse is also a positive step. It is also best to treat substance use problems as a disease and leverage employee assistance programs to help employees return to work.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
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