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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Effect of Workplace Drug Abuse in Small Businesses

Drug and alcohol abuse has serious effects on businesses and society. It has an adverse effect on economic development. Drug abuse by employees at workplace leads to loss in productivity. In addition, increased absents, accidents, tardiness, theft, and compensation claims add further costs to companies. So employment drug testing is conducted by many companies to avoid these issues.

When compared to larger firms, small businesses have many disadvantages with respect to workplace substance abuse. As small businesses have few employees, it is necessary to hire efficient employees. If any one accident is caused by an impaired employee, then the costs pertaining to it can devastate a small business. So it has to be ensured that employee drug testing is conducted to retain effective employees.

However, drug free workplace programs like employee drug tests are conducted by very few small businesses. There has been an increase in awareness among small firms regarding the importance of employee drug testing. Also with government legislation of 1988 Federal Drug Free Workplace Act, some of them are developing the policies of drug free workplace programs. Some educational programs can be conducted by small businesses to make employees know about the dangers of drug abuse.

Many inexpensive multi-panel drug test kits are available in market which can be used to conduct the drug tests. However, in order to help small businesses, a program called Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace Program was conducted by the Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A range of free tools which are easy to use are provided to small businesses by this program for maintaining healthy, safe, and drug-free workplaces.

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