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Importance of Creating a Drug Screening Policy
Posted Tuesday, April 24th, 2018 by
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It is a stunning fact: more than two million Americans are estimated to have a problem with opioids. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the opioid crisis claimed more than 64,000 American lives last year and more than 140 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Widespread opioid abuse costs employers nearly $12 billion annually with 12% and higher (depending on the industry) of the workforce under the influence of drugs at work. The dependence on opioids could decrease employee productivity, increase absenteeism and increase workplace accidents, creating a potentially hazardous environment for the drug users and their coworkers.
When creating a drug screening policy as part of a background screening policy for your company, there are many things that need to be clearly described including defining prohibited behaviors, explaining how drug testing is done, consequences for policy violations and the definition of “under the influence”. As a result, companies should be ready to take measures based on employees’ actions rather than their drug test results alone. Having a process in place to request, receive and evaluate drug screening checks will allow you to better defend your screening program.
Martin Murtland, Vice President of Product Management, Drug and Health Screening Services at Sterling Talent Solutions, explained the impact of the prescription pill and opioid drug use in the workplace and the importance of creating a company drug screening policy in a recent issue of Strategic HR Review. Find out more insight on how to create a drug screening policy in “HR in the stoned age: prescription pills in the workplace: Thought leaders share their views on the HR profession and its direction for the future.”
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