While these numbers may have declined recently, they are nonetheless a great sign of how alcohol and drug testing has become a crucial part of maintaining the American workplace safe and effective.
The notion of workplace drug testing nevertheless can be traced back to the start of the 20th century. In 1914, Henry Ford established a”social division” whose primary task was to track their workers’ lifestyles and the ramifications of said lifestyles in their performance on the job. With a massive workforce of some 14,000 at any specific time, turnover at Ford was large. Big areas of concern were gambling and drinking. It was a far cry from the drug free workplace programs, but the thought was there — by implementing his”social division”, Ford was able to decrease his workforce turnover from 360% in 1913 to 16 percent by 1915.
The coverage must explicitly state the prohibition of”unlawful use, manufacture, dispensation, possession or distribution of a controlled substance” in the office as mandated by legislation. Disciplinary actions against policy violators must also be clearly mentioned.
Formulate a drug-free awareness campaign within the office.
Require workers to abide by the policy provisions and also to notify the business in the event of drug-related offenses committed by the worker. The same must be demanded of workers working for contracting or granting agencies.
While private companies which don’t have any plans of entering into federal grants or contracts aren’t required to comply, they are free to establish (and really encouraged to establish) their particular drug-free workplace policy which best applies to their company.
The particular components of fulfilling these requirements vary depending on whether the national contractor or grantee is an individual or a company. Obviously, organizational requirements are more comprehensive since they must set up actual workplace drug testing programs. One of the processes that organizations looking for a national contract are the following:
For associations with over 4,000 workers this amount is greater at 62%.
Employers started to realize that increased productivity and reduced incidences of accidents and damage to property were direct advantages of implementing drug testing in the workplace. New York State implemented Code Rules 60 and 59, under which they provide financial incentives (such as a direct reduction of workers’ compensation rates ranging from 2-10%) to companies that put their own drug-free office programs.
Before the 1980s, private companies showed little interest in workplace alcohol and drug testing.
Shortly after, the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 was passed from the Department of Transportation. It made drug testing a necessity for all DOT truck drivers.
They created a frame that expanded federal drug testing to insure private businesses with government contracts, with the intent of reducing if not eliminating worker drug use at the office.
President Reagan and the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988
President Ronald Reagan saw drug abuse crossing the army and the whole nation and understood the value of and the benefits to implementing drug testing programs. This mandate was then (albeit gradually ) embraced by private corporations.
