Care for the Substance Abuser in the Workplace.

According to the Alaska Department of Labor's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace, nationally substance abuse costs businesses $75 billion a year. Alcoholism causes 500 million lost workdays yearly. Half of all work-site injuries are substance abuse related. Seventy-thee percent of those Americans who use illicit drugs are in the work force. And productivity levels for drug users are only 66 percent of their fellow employees.

Industries reporting the highest alcohol and drug use are construction, retail/wholesale and extraction type industries like fishing, timber and mining. Many of these are Alaska's top employers.

"Substance abuse probably exists in nearly every company in Alaska," states Karen Manning, general manager at AAT. She adds that Alaska's alcoholism has always been a huge problem, but drug use is even bigger.

"Twenty-five percent of the work force will have some degree of problem with substances," states Jeff Grasser, clinical supervisor at Providence Break-Through. He says 10 percent of the population has full-blown addictions while another 10 percent to 15 percent are episodic substance abusers.

Getting Started

Even as grim as the statistics seem, a business doesn't have to let workplace substance abuse cripple its bottom line. Working Partners suggests this five-step approach:

* Write a substance abuse policy--A policy should list why the program is there, such as safety issues or legal requirements. It should include prohibited behaviors and consequences for those behaviors. Manning suggests following Alaska House Bill 207 L&C for writing a policy. It provides guidance for businesses in litigation protection and outlines what the minimum policy requirements should be. It also lists testing procedures and details disciplinary actions an employer can take.

* Train supervisors--Supervisors need to fully understand the policy and know how to identity problems. They should be trained in documentation procedures and confronting problem employees.

* Educate employees--Explain the dangers of substance use in the workplace. Explain other impacts to the company in increased costs due to substance abuse. Clarify the policy details.

* Provide employee assistance--This step can be as extensive as providing an employee assistance program or as simple as providing a list of community resources. Grasser says that for every dollar spent on treatment, $7 is saved in rehiring and training costs.

* Drug and alcohol testing--Some companies are required to random test, such as those in transportation or safety sensitive industries. Determine who will be tested, when they will be tested and for what substance. Also outline consequences for a positive result.

Correcting Problems

Judith Guertin, Charter North's chemical dependency service coordinator, sympathizes with supervisors dealing with substance abuse problems in their workforces.

Alaska's family type business atmosphere often makes it difficult to deal with a coworker who has a substance abuse problem when the supervisor and that employee are friends outside the work place, says Guertin. She strongly recommends consistency, firmness and a standardized formula for assisting troubled employees.

Recognize there is a problem. Substance abuse invites change so be aware of behavioral or attitude changes such as: speech patterns, appearance, tardiness, absenteeism, watery eyes, moodiness or an increase in accidents.

"Don't hone in on one symptom. Watch for a combination of symptoms. Notice if they progress over time--like a runny nose that doesn't get better. Decreased productivity is a key indicator," says Guertin.

Document these changes. Be specific by listing dates, persons involved and the specific observation. If frequent absenteeism is the problem, list the dates the employee is not at work, excuses given and a comparison of past absenteeism.

Take action with a documented, confidential conference with the employee discussing work-related problems noticed. Be prepared for defensiveness, denials, guilt trips or hard-luck stories from the employee, warns Guertin.

Referrals to the company employee assistance program or other resources allow a qualified professional to diagnose the problem and offer suggestions for getting well.

Alaska Success Story

One Alaska business achieving success with its substance abuse policy is Sunrise Bakery in Anchorage. Contract negotiations in 1997 added a drug-free workplace clause that included pre-hire drug testing, testing for suspected drug or alcohol use, and substance testing within 24 hours for any reported workplace accident.

With a majority of Sunrise's 105 employees working with bread production machinery or on the roads delivering product, safety was a high priority and incentive for establishing a program, according to General Manager Mel Porter.

"Prior to the new program, Workers Compensation claims were killing us with costs over $500,000 a year," says Porter. "Now, for the first time ever, we are ahead of our budgeted $75,000."

Porter says absenteeism and tardiness are down and production efficiency is up. Prior to the new policy, productivity statistics hovered around 85 percent; now they are 95 percent or better.

Porter says that in addition to the employee's regular union medical benefits for treatment, the company also provides benefits with an employee assistance program that costs Sunrise about $2.45 per employee, per month. The employee assistance program provides assessment and short-term counseling on a number of work or personal problems.

"My only regret," says Porter, "is that we didn't do this years earlier. We now have the best workforce I've seen in my 15 years at this bread plant. I know it's because of the program."

Help in the Bush

Getting help in rural communities can be difficult, admits Shelly Carlson, clinical supervisor for Sitka Prevention and Treatment Services. Many communities don't have access to support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, employee assistance programs or treatment centers. Problems arise when employees leave the community to get help, but return to a lifestyle without available support nearby.

At a very minimum, suggests Carlson, companies should examine how they promote substance abuse with company practices.

"Watch out for double messages (like) having a substance abuse policy and then providing beer at a company picnic," warns Carbon. "Does your restaurant/bar typically allow workers an after-shift alcoholic beverage? Are you a boat captain who buys the crew around of drinks when you come into port? Or the foreman of a construction outfit who allows the crew to quit early to hit the bar?"

It can be life-threatening to work in some of these fields under the influence or while trying to recuperate from over-indulging the night before. Carlson adds that there are increased safety concerns if the employee is using marijuana because it stays in the system longer and impairs reflexes and depth perception.

Wayne LeBlanc, executive director for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, says businesses can pool their resources to reduce costs. For example, several businesses can contract an employee assistance program to visit remote sites once a month.

LeBlanc asks businesses to look at substance abuse from a community perspective. He lists Southeast Alaska as having the highest consumption rate per capita with the worst binge and chronic drinking statistics for the state. Regions consuming the least amount per capita include the Northwest and the Yukon/Kuskokwim river system. He suggests this may have to do with the number of communities banning alcohol. Southeast has only five dry communities whereas, the Y/K Delta has 38.

Additional Help

Working Partners provides a kit for small businesses in establishing a program and can be accessed though their Web site: www.dol.gov/dol/asp/public/programs/drugs/main.htm.