An Analysis of Worker Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs

5.1 Information and Written Policies Regarding Alcohol or Drug Use

As indicated in Figure 5.1, 62.1 percent of full-time workers, age 18-49, who reported current illicit drug use and 75.2 percent of full-time workers, age 18-49, who reported no current illicit drug use said that they had been provided with information at their workplace about drug or alcohol use. Similar percentages, 57.3 percent and 70.6 percent, respectively, reported the existence of a written policy at their workplace about employee use of alcohol or drugs. The percentage of workers indicating that they had been provided with information or were aware of written policies regarding drug and alcohol use rose with establishment size. Only about half or less than half of workers in the smallest establishment category—1 to 24 employees—said they had been provided information or that their workplace had a written policy regarding drug or alcohol use. Moreover, small establishment workers reporting current illicit drug use were less likely than small establishment workers reporting no current illicit drug use to say that their workplace provided information or had written policies. The percentage of workers reporting that they had been provided with information or that their workplace had written policies rose to over 75 percent for workers in the middle range of establishment size, 25-499 workers, and to over 90 percent for workers from establishments with 500 or more employees. The differences between those reporting current illicit drug and those reporting no use were not statistically significant in the two larger establishment size categories.

Figures 5.2 and 5.3 address one possible explanation for these differences by establishment size in employees’ reports of information and policies concerning drug and alcohol use: establishment size and employees’ reports of these kinds of policies, like employee illicit drugand heavy alcohol use, are not independent of occupation. Although overall 74.4 percent of full-time workers reported that their workplace provided information about drug and alcohol use, and 69.7 percent of these workers reported that their workplace had written policies in this regard, these percentages varied considerably by type of occupation.

This page was last updated on June 03, 2008.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.