By Annelle Whitt

      AMC’s hit drama Mad Men portrays top-level executives in the ‘60s swilling cocktails in the boardroom and closing deals over cold beer. Sounds glamorous, doesn’t it? At second glance, however, the use of alcohol and drugs in the workplace poses serious threats to business owners and employees alike. The days of the three-martini lunch may be over, but unfortunately, alcohol abuse is still prevalent; albeit in a much more subversive form.
     
A Problem for Small Business
      Illicit drug use has become an epidemic of sorts. Statistics of drug and alcohol use in the workplace paints a grim picture for small business today: One-half of all Americans work for businesses with fewer than five hundred employees, and 90 percent of all drug users work at these small businesses.

      It is not unusual for drug users to deliberately seek out small businesses for the ease of employment. One reason for this is how easily they can continue their addictions. Most small companies think they cannot afford the strict drug-free procedures that have become common at larger corporations.

      In 2005, the Missouri legislature passed revisions to the workers compensation law that encourage drug-free strategies for businesses both large and small. As long as a company has a written drug-free workplace policy, workers compensation may be reduced or even eliminated when alcohol or drugs contribute to a workplace injury.

      With these statute revisions, employers should be even more compelled to apply risk management techniques to protect their business and their employees’ lives. Not all of the responsibility lies with employers; employees also have a major responsibility to know office policies and make smart decisions about drug use.

      In Kansas City, where many people cross the state line on their daily commute, differences between the Kansas and Missouri statutes can confuse employers. Know your state’s laws and regulations before enacting your own policies.
     
A Drug-free Work Zone
      As complex as it may seem—with laws that change from Missouri to Kansas and an ever-changing workforce—there are simple steps to maintaining a drug-free workplace.

      First, develop a written policy. Templates are available as a starting point, and a little research rounds out the task. Research your insurance provider’s incentives for drug-free policies. Research state statutes and labor laws. Research any policy samples available on insurance company and government Web sites. Pass everything through extensive legal review before putting any policy into action.

      Do not settle for a canned program?putting your company name on it and signing it. There may be elements in that policy that aren’t relevant for your business and may water down your policy or make it invalid.

      Second, train leadership and educate employees. A wise employer will take every measure to not only make employees aware of the policy, but to also foster an environment of drug-free living. Staff training and education are paramount.

      Statistics offer frightening evidence of the widespread negative impact of drug abuse. A single work-related injury involving alcohol could cost an employer over one million dollars in medical and legal fees. In 2006 nearly 80 percent of the nation’s 54 million binge drinkers were employed. Drug use among Baby Boomers (adults ages 50-62) has increased 50 percent in the past five years.
     
 Avoiding Drinking Situations
      Raising awareness with startling statistics is only one step toward creating a drug and alcohol-free workplace. Education is the most crucial tool to creating a drug policy, implementing it and ensuring that employees not only adhere to the guidelines during office hours but also aim to improve their lives outside of work as well.

      As difficult as it may be for the office social butterfly, employers who attend happy hours and condone after-work drinks only augment alcohol abuse that employees may face. Social drinking at work poses a serious threat for any employer. It raises the question: Who is responsible if an employee attends happy hour with the boss, drives home drunk and wrecks his or her car? Rather than risk debate or interpretation of the law, a wise employer simply prevents the situation.

      Finally, establish a testing program. Some insurance providers will support policyholders with drug-free workplace policies by reimbursing all or part of post-accident drug testing. A simple drug test, which can detect several substances, could save an employer hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical care costs, legal costs and rising insurance premiums.

      We’ve come a long way since the heady days of Mad Men: women broke through the glass ceiling and casual attire has trumped three-piece suits. Like discrimination and polyester neckties before them, alcohol and drugs deserve no place in the workplace. With a drug-free workplace policy, it is easier than ever for employers to protect themselves, their businesses and, most of all, their employees, from potentially deadly influences.

Annelle Whitt is assistant vice president of claims at MEM Insurance. You can reach her at 573-499-4300 or .