Drug-Free Workplace Program

Even the most severely addicted individuals can participate in treatment; in the hopes of reducing their drug and alcohol use. Treatment programs with the higher success rates offer a combination of treatments. I will explore substance abuse prevention programs in this paper. I will summarize their goals, funding, and effectiveness.

Mandatory drug screening is a way of identifying whether an individual is using illegal substances. The need for creating a policy for mandatory drug screening in community based agencies will promote a safe working environment for residents and staff. Also, it can improve the resident’s morals and educate staff and residents about the dangers of substance abuse. Substance abuse can disrupt the safety of residents and staff.

Kathryn Keep says, “A drug-using employee is 3.6 times more likely to be involved in an accident, and five times more likely to make a worker’s compensation claim. Impaired judgment can result in slow reaction times and misguided decisions, which may lead to accidents.” Each drug user can cost a company thousands of dollars, translating into billions spent each year due to work-related accidents or injuries. The company will have to pay the healthcare

I do not think that there is a precedent for this issue. I see drug use in the workplace as being a distinct issue. It is of sufficient severity to merit its own status in negotiations with unions and to have its own policies. The outcomes are severe amputation, major lawsuits and they need to be dealt with, without leaning on some obscure past precedent as a crutch. Around 75% of all illicit drug users are employed (NIDA, 2008) and that makes this a serious issue for the company, since there is near-certainty that drug use occurs among members of the workforce. A new policy needs to be created here.

The fact that the firm is funded by financial grants may make a difference, “recipients of federal grants of more than $25,000 establish written drug-free workplace policies and establish drug-free awareness programs (Cihon & Castagnera, 2013).” The employees will need to be fully aware of the anti-drug policy and do this is writing. The particular state of your business will be a factor, Michigan has no policy on drug testing with private employers (Workplace Drug Testing in Michigan,

This act does not cover the abuse of or dependence of legal substances like alcohol and tobacco (31). First will be an exploration in the practice of drug testing at the workplace as an ethical and practical policy that justifies the terms of the employment contracts are visible. The evidence shows that an employee’s right to privacy is not in violation when personal information is collected or appropriately used by the employer. Secondly, the demonstration that drug test methods are the most efficient and effective means of preventing employees drug use and abuse. Finally, the evidence that drug testing positively affects company profits, safety and organizational productivity.

Literature implies that employee drug use in the workplace may create high costs to firms in the form of lower productivity, increased absences, and an increase in workplace accidents. As a response to these costs, employers have implemented a variety of policies and programs to decrease employee drug use. Educational programs and standards such as “Zero Tolerance” policies, employers have turned to drug testing programs more in the past decades. About 46 percent of American workers report that their employer conducts drug testing, although other sources indicate that 90 percent of Fortune 200 companies use some type of drug testing (Flynn 1999). The factor behind workplace drug

I am surprised that you have not experienced any workplace violence or anyone with substance abuse probles at work. This is occurring more and more every day. However even though it is occurring more, it is underreported. I experience a co worker who was addicted to iv pain medications. She was a mother, wife, and a good worker. She never came to work with slurred speech. Everyone just thought she just wanted to help when she would volunteer to give pain medications to patients. She always did her job to the best of her ability. No One expected anything of her. Pharmacy waited until she was caught in her vehicle with sharp containers, needles, and medications until they informed us they were suspicious of her taking medications. I

I believe that drug testing is necessary to maintain a workplace safe and more productive. Drug use increases accidents and jeopardize the security of the company and other employees. It also increases employee’s confidence that they are working in a safe environment, and they do not have to fear a drug- or alcohol-related incident jeopardizing their welfare in any way. A drug testing reduces near miss accidents. Moreover, it Reduces potential workplace conflict and violence. As a result, a drug testing creates a healthier workplace, and increases the reputation of an organization. Finally, A workplace drug testing program helps to keep the environment at work safe for everyone. Drug testing in the workplace can help minimize workplace accidents,

For a great deal of employees the introduction of a drug and alcohol testing program signifies that regardless of all their years of service the upper management of the company does not trust them (Comer, 1994). This would be a fairly demoralizing feeling for most employees, especially if there is not sufficient evidence to prove that the worksite really needs a drug and alcohol testing program. This is often the case where the policies being unilaterally introduced are preventative measure, created to stop safety incidents from occurring, when really there is no need for them. This is demonstrated in Imperial Oil vs CEP Local 900 where the management implemented the policy to, “create a safe work environment by the reduction of any risk of accidents or incidents which could be contributed to by drugs or alcohol, and to deter the use of such substances where their use might negatively affect work performance or safety”, and yet it was found that in over 15 years there had never once been a case in which an employee was impaired with drugs or alcohol at the Imperial Oil worksite (Teck Resources ltd., 2015). According to Crant and Bateman (1989), how workers perceive the fairness and necessity of a drug testing program will affect both their attitude and behaviour in the workplace. This was discovered by applying the concept of Organizational Justice which refers to how an employee views their organisation’s behaviours, decisions and actions and how these influence how the employees’ thinks and acts at work. Mandatory drug and alcohol testing affects a cost to employees, both personally and psychologically, this is addressed by Crant and Bateman (1989) in their article A Model of Employee Responses to Drug-Testing Programs: “Personal costs [of drug testing] include the inconvenience of submitting to tests (perhaps on a recurring basis).

Upon review, I strongly agree with all 10 elements in developing an institutions drug-testing program. The first element listed provides written documentation of policies and procedures and as we have all learned, this step is imperative in the rare case that legal action is taken. Furthermore, this process includes obtaining consent, and informing both potential and current athletes to be tested. If I had to incorporate an additional concept into this process, I would incorporate something regarding the handling and labeling of the sample collected to ensure that it is not tampered with.

In compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, [Company Name] has a longstanding commitment to provide a safe, quality-oriented and productive work environment consistent with the standards of the community in which the company operates. Alcohol and drug abuse poses a threat to the health and safety of [Company Name] employees and to the security of the company's equipment and facilities. For these reasons, [Company Name] is committed to the elimination of drug and alcohol use and abuse in the workplace.

The impact of illegal drug use has had a profound impact on all aspects of our society, and the workplace is no exception. Clearly it is in the best interest of employers to keep drugs from becoming a part of organizational life. It has been shown that illicit drug use can have serious negative implications on indictors of organizational perform-ance. For example, Normand, Salyards and Mahoney (1990) found that employees who tested positive for drug use were more likely to be absent from work and were more likely be terminated from their jobs than their non-drug using counterparts. The economic impact of employee drug use can be profound.

Employees shall be given opportunities to explain their reason for using drugs and circumstance prior to and after incidence before taking corrective and or disciplinary actions against errant employee

Employers should be allowed to test the employees for drugs because it can help businesses be more successful, thus helping the community.