NCJ Number
161976
Date Published
1982
Length
210 pages
Annotation
Representatives from the Federal Government and private industry document and discuss the impact of alcohol abuse and other drug abuse on employee productivity and describe what is being done and should be done by the Federal Government and private employers to address this problem.
Abstract
Opening statements by some members of the Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and the Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity note the prevalence and severity of alcohol and drug abuse among American workers and the impact it has on employee absenteeism, employee efficiency, and worker safety. The administrator of the Federal Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration testifies that 3 to 7 percent of the employed population uses some form of illicit drug regularly, ranging from marijuana to heroin. He traces the development of employee assistance programs (EAP's) as a strategy used by business and labor to help reduce alcohol and drug abuse in the workforce. He then summarizes some of the major activities undertaken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the last decade to further the growth of alcohol and drug abuse occupational programming. Recommendations for the future include more research on the relevant issues and additional evaluation studies to determine the effectiveness of EAP's. A representative of the Federal Office of Personnel Management profiles what his agency is doing to address alcohol and drug abuse among Federal employees. Representatives from the private sector describe what their organizations and companies are doing to address alcohol and drug abuse among workers, with attention to the policies and procedures of EAP's. Written statements and additional information are provided.