Brooklyn's Progress
December 2007/January 2008

BY JILL D’AMICO

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce hosted a Nov. 15 seminar that put a touchy subject for business owners on center stage. Held in cooperation with Good Help, the Chamber’s free, business-driven staffing and employment service, and the National Association for Drug Abuse Problems (NADAP), the seminar tackled the issues surrounding workplace substance abuse, and how business owners can deal with it.

Karen B. Morton, director of NADAP’s Substance Abuse Centralized Assessment program (SACAP), took the attendees through identifying the impact, signs, and ways to offer help employees with substance abuse problems. She also highlighted the importance of having a policy in place to deal with the problem before it affects your business.

The stigma of alcohol and drug abuse leads people to hide their addictions – thus driving the issue to the back burner in the workplace. However, as many employers know, if an employee has a problem at home, it is usually only a matter of time before it comes to work with them.

Ms. Morton warned that the bottom line of your business is at risk, and illustrated her point with figures from national studies. On average, over $80 billion dollars is lost annually in productivity is due to substance abuse, including that addicts use three times as many sick days as their counterparts, have 10 times the absentee rate, and are five times more likely to file a workers compensation claims. In addition, 21% of employees said their work was affected by that of a co-workers substance abuse. The health and well-being of your employees is ultimately, the health of your business, stressed Ms. Morton.

Small Businesses Are Vulnerable
Small businesses are especially vulnerable to the effects of employees addicted to illicit drugs and alcohol. They are less likely to have programs in place to combat the problem, yet they are more likely to be the employer-of-choice for illicit drug users.

“Individuals who can’t adhere to a drug-free workplace policy seek employment at firms that don’t have one, and the cost of just one error caused by an impaired employee can devastate a small company,” according to the SACAP manual, which NADAP distributed at the seminar.

Ms. Morton advised that every company should be clear about their workplace drug-free policy. Guidelines presented included a written policy given to the employee at hiring, employee education, supervisor training, and , when possible, drug testing, and employee assistance programs, an employer- or union-sponsored benefit that and identifies and addresses a broad spectrum of health, economic, and social issues, including substance abuse.

Those last two elements are among some of the most important, and unfortunately sometimes the most difficult to institute for a small business. Drug testing is a common practice in larger companies, but for a company working in small quarters where employee and employers interacting often, some employers may feel they “would know” if an employee had a problem with drugs or alcohol.

This may be true, but assuming and confronting the employee can be a legal minefield, warned Ms. Morton.

“If you accuse someone, you will have a problem with their lawyers, or a union,” she said.

The key is to institute random testing so that no one person is singled out for suspicion, which would be illegal. In addition, EAP providers typically offer a host of voluntary counseling services. They can meet with employees and asses their cases, and also make available the options for treatment.

“This presentation was aimed at the small business owner,” said Elizabeth Madison, vice president of NADAP.

“We try to give them a blueprint on how to implement a drug-free workplace, and they can pick and choose from the outlines to tailor it to their business. This is a great way to reach people, because how else would a small business owner take time out of their busy schedule?”

A Need for Discussion
It was clear at the seminar that the problem hits small businesses hard. Some attendees were currently dealing with these problems, and the discussion allowed everyone to learn and handle. Ms. Morton said choosing words carefully and having resources available for employees is the best way to discuss the thorny issue.

“A number of people commented that they realize they have to watch what they say,” said Mike Rosenthal, director of Good Help. “This was a terrific opportunity for small-business owners to learn about an important issue and have the resources to address it.”

To learn more about Good Help, contact Mike Rosenthal at 718-875-1000 ext. 108, or e-mail mrosenthal@brooklynchamber.com.