NCJ Number
159820
Editor(s)
E R Greenberg
Date Published
1992
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Data from 1,200 businesses and nonprofit organizations formed the basis of this analysis of employee drug testing.
Abstract
The survey was mailed to 13,218 human resources managers on January 17, 1992. More than 1,350 responses were returned by March 1, 1992. Results revealed that the proportion of companies that test for drugs increased from 63 percent in January 1991 to 74.5 percent in January 1992. Manufacturing firms were more likely to test than service companies, and for-profit companies were more likely to test than nonprofit companies. Transportation companies had the highest proportion testing (89 percent), while only 34 percent of financial service providers tested. Eighty-five percent of companies grossing $500 million or more tested, compared with 35 percent of companies grossing under $2 million. The testing of current employees has increased at a greater rate than overall testing. However, only 7.3 percent of the firms test all employees, and an additional 18.9 percent test selected employees, on a random or periodic basis. The percentage testing positive has declined in recent years. The majority of companies combine testing with other programs. Although 17 of the firms that test employees report that they immediately dismiss those testing positive, most regard firing as a policy of last resort after trying counseling and disciplinary actions. Most managers in organizations practicing testing regard it as an effective way to deal with workplace drug abuse. Tables