JULY 21, 2005 3

Q & DOL assists small businesses in addressing DFW needs

A Small businesses instituting drug-

free workplace programs might not
know where to start. Background and
reference material available from the
It includes items, such as sample policies, surveys, re-
ports, training and educational materials, and legal and
regulatory information.
Q: What are some of the hallmarks of a successful
Department of Labor may help. In a conversation with drug-free workplace program?
Workplace Substance Abuse Advisor, Elena Carr, drug A: The characteristic common to all effective programs
policy coordinator and director of the Working Partners is balance. A successful drug-free workplace program must
Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace program in the DOL strike a delicate balance between a number of sometimes
discussed the program’s Web site, the hallmarks of suc- competing elements. Examples include balancing the
cessful DFW programs, and some common DFW pro- interests of employees vs. the interests of employers, the
gram mistakes that companies should try to avoid. need to know vs. the need for privacy, detection vs. reha-
Q: What does the Working Partners program en- bilitation, and respect for individuals vs. the safety of
tail and how can it benefit small businesses? all. Effective drug-free workplace programs send a
A: The initiative raises awareness about the impact strong, clear message that drug use is unacceptable and,
drugs and alcohol have on the workplace and encour- at the same time, provide assistance and support for
ages and empowers employers, unions and others to workers in need of treatment for alcohol and drug prob-
establish drug-free workplace programs that lems, or who are in recovery from alco-
protect worker safety and health. Although holism or drug addiction.
What would you
Working Partners resources are applicable Employee involvement from the start
like to see here?
to businesses of any size, we designed them is critical to achieving this balance.
We’d like to know what top-
with the small businesses in mind. This is Employers and employees should work
ics you’d like to see covered
because small businesses, which collec- together to design a balanced, fair pro-
in upcoming Q&A. Please
tively employ the majority of the nation’s gram suited to the unique needs and
forward your suggestions to:
workers, often perceive instituting a drug- challenges of their workplaces. The key
Larry Graff, editor, SA, via e-
free workplace program as a daunting task. to success is ensuring that employees
mail at lgraff@lrp.com, or by
Our tools and information make it easy for understand and appreciate that a
phone at (561) 622-6520,
small businesses to put effective drug-free drug-free workplace program applies
Ext. 8703. ■
workplace programs in place and benefit not only to them, but also to all the
from being drug free. It is important to note coworkers and managers on whom
that Working Partners is not an effort by the DOL to their safety and security depends.
regulate workplace substance abuse. Rather, it is an Q: Conversely, what are some of the pitfalls of a drug-
outreach and education initiative that helps companies free workplace program, and how can those be avoided?
understand the value of drug-free workplace programs A: One mistake some employers make is equating drug
and equips them to develop effective programs. testing with a drug-free workplace program. Drug test-
Q: How can employers benefit from the informa- ing is only one component of a drug-free workplace pro-
tion on the Working Partners Web site? gram, and in some circumstances, a drug-free workplace
A: A main feature of the site is the Drug-Free Workplace program may be effective without drug testing. If used,
Advisor Program Builder, which assists employers, unions drug testing works best as one part of a comprehensive
and others to develop customized drug-free workplace poli- approach that also includes supervisor training on signs
cies and programs. This tool has separate sections for each and symptoms of substance abuse, education for em-
of the five components of a drug-free workplace program: a ployees about the dangers of substance abuse, access to
written policy, supervisor training, employee education, treatment for employees who have alcohol or drug prob-
employee assistance and drug testing. The policy section lems, and support for those in recovery.
outlines the different elements of a comprehensive drug- Also, focusing solely on termination of workers with
free workplace policy and prompts users to select answers substance abuse problems rather than offering them op-
to simple, preset questions to determine the most appro- portunities for rehabilitation can be shortsighted on the
priate style of policy. Based on users’ responses, the system part of employers. Oftentimes, it is more beneficial for
then generates a policy statement, which can be further employers to support workers in need of treatment for
personalized and modified. substance abuse problems by allowing them to return to
Another site feature is the Substance Abuse Informa- work when they are able to do so at full capacity.
tion Database — an online repository of hundreds of For more information, visit the Web site www.dol.gov/
documents related to workplace alcohol and drug abuse. workingpartners. ■

Workplace Substance Abuse Advisor

0891-5709/05/$2 + $1.50