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Pre-Employment Drug Screening
By admin | November 27, 2007
Drugs change a person’s reaction time, personality, and ability to concentrate. Because of this, it’s no surprise that few employers want to deal with workers who abuse such illegal substances. For the most part, large businesses have policies to cover drug screening employees.
Smaller businesses, however, are more likely to unknowing hire drug users. Because many of these businesses do not require pre-employment drug screening, substance abusers are more likely to apply for positions. According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics 44 percent of illegal drug users work for companies that have less than 25 employees. Another 43 percent work for medium sized businesses, places that employee between 25 to 499 individuals. Only 13 percent of the country’s illegal drug users are able to seek past the drug screening efforts of larger employers.
Knowing that substance abusers are more likely to apply to smaller businesses makes it extremely important for those not already doing so to begin the drug screening of employees. One of the most important reasons to consider pre-employment drug screening is the issue of workplace safety. With drug usage effecting an individual’s ability to function, substance abusers are not only a risk to themselves but also to other employees. By identifying these risk and eliminating them, employers stand to increase workplace safety standards.
Offices that do not have a method of drug screening employees find that they lose out in productivity. Many employees who are drug users frequently miss work or do not perform well on the job. In many cases, other employees are left to pick up their co-worker’s slack. Those who do use drugs frequently are often fired for poor performance, therefore creating a significantly higher turnover rate that necessary. By implementing the drug screening of employees, companies stand to have a higher level of productivity, office place morale, and lower turn over rates.
Often companies that have their employees screened for drug usage also receive lower premiums for healthcare coverage. Between decreasing premiums and office place accidents resulting for employee drug abuse, employers stand to lower overall cost.
Topics: Recruiting |