Survey of Private Sector Management and Labor Concerning the Impact of Workplace Alcohol and Illegal Drug Use/Abuse Upon Work Performance and the Value of Related Workplace Referral and Treatment Programs

• NCJ Number: 112384
• Author(s): A Anderson
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 57 pages
• Corporate Author: Maine Alcohol and Drug Abuse Planning Cmtte
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services; Maine Alcohol and Drug Abuse Planning Cmtte
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A 1986 survey was conducted to obtain labor and management perceptions of the effects of substance abuse on work performance and the effectiveness of existing workplace substance abuse treatment and referral programs.

Abstract

Questionnaires were sent to chief executive officers and union stewards at 192 Maine companies with 209 locations. Usable responses were received from 96 company sites and 77 union locals. A large majority of both management and labor respondents estimated that less than 5 percent of salaried and hourly workers had worksite substance abuse problems as measured by reduced work performance. Both felt such problems were more frequent among hourly workers and that alcohol was a greater problem than illicit drugs. While there was a tendency for larger company sites and union locals to have treatment/referral programs, over a third of company sites and union locals with over 200 workers/members did not have programs to address workplace substance abuse. None of the existing programs and services were sponsored solely by the union, and the majority of programs were off company grounds. The most common reasons for a lack of programs given by both management and labor were lack of a problem, lack of need, and company size. The most common labor and management positive evaluation of existing programs are that they work and that confidentiality was maintained. Survey forms and 15 tables.