May 11, 2007
Did you know...?
Companies lose $82 billion in productivity each year because of substance abuse, the federal government estimates.
The math is simple. More than three-quarters of America’s 14.8 million drug abusers have jobs. Employed drug abusers cost their employers about twice as much in medical and worker compensation claims as their drug-free coworkers. Drug abusers are almost four times as likely to be involved in a workplace accident as drug-free/sober workers and five times as likely to file a workers’ compensation claim according to government data. Drug abusers miss more days of work, show up late and change jobs more often. The cost of a drug test, meanwhile, is usually less than $50.
Almost 6 percent of all employees randomly screened and 4 percent of job applicants typically test positive, according to Quest Diagnostics.
The measurable dollar costs of workplace substance abuse from absenteeism, overtime pay, tardiness, sick leave, insurance claims, and workers' compensation can be substantial. However, the hidden costs resulting from diverted supervisory and managerial time, friction among workers, damage to equipment, and damage to the company's public image means that workplace substance abuse can further cut profits and competitiveness.
A growing number of employers are fighting back with workplace drug programs. Better technology has made drug screening more reliable, while insurance discounts and government grants have made it cheaper.
Facts about workplace drug testing…
- Companies that offer drug education programs as well as testing have lower test-positive rates than those that provide only testing.
- Only 5% of companies neither test employees nor offer drug education programs.
- Action on test-positive employees: 31% of companies dismiss test-positives, and more than half of these offer no other alternative. The rest regard firing as a last resort, after counseling and disciplinary actions have been tried.
- 68% of companies test new hires. Tests are rarely given as part of the application process per se; instead testing occurs when the applicant has already been offered the job. The offer is then conditional on the applicant passing the test.
- 1% of companies that test new hires will hire test-positives on a probationary basis; 95% specifically state that test-positives will not be hired, the rest take other actions, such as retesting at a later date.
Statistics prove that drug and alcohol testing works! In tests of employees in DOT safety sensitive regulated industries, 3.5% tested positive for drugs. Testing in the general workforce reveals 5.2% tested positive for drugs, 50% higher than regulated industries. Samples submitted from the general workforce (tests at the request of a manager or supervisor for reasonable suspicion) resulted in over 26% positive for drugs.
The implementation of a drug testing program significantly reduces positive test-results, results in financial savings, and makes your workplace both more productive and safer for others.
To learn more about how OHS-COMPCARE can help your company with a workplace drug testing program or other services OHS-COMPCARE offers, contact our Client Services Team at (816) 561-2105 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com. You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
OHS-COMPCARE has eight (8) area clinical facilities:
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Blue Springs Clinical Facility |
Independence Clinical Facility** |
Johnson County Clinical Facility |
St. Joseph Clinical Facility |
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801 NW St. Mary’s Drive |
17020 East 40 Highway |
10415 Lackman Road |
904 Edmond Street |
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Blue Springs, MO 64104 |
Independence, MO 64055 |
Lenexa, KS 66219 |
St. Joseph, MO 64501 |
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816-224-9121 |
816-478-9299 |
913-495-9905 |
816-233-7702 |
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After Hours Available |
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KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility |
KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility |
Wyandotte County Clinical Facility |
Grandview Clinical Facility |
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1650 Broadway |
6501 East Commerce, Suite 110 |
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200 |
13830 S Us Highway 71 |
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Kansas City, MO 64108 |
Kansas City, MO 64120 |
Kansas City, KS 66102 |
Grandview, MO 64030 |
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816-842-2020 |
816-483-5550 |
913-596-2774 |
816-761-4664 |
** OHS-COMPCARE is pleased to announce plans to expand our Independence facility by moving to a newer, bigger location! Our new facility will be located next door to Medical Imaging in the Eastland Center Court (19000 E. Eastland Center Court, Suite 200, Independence, MO 64055). Construction is underway and the opening will be at the beginning of the summer. More details will follow as we get closer to our move date.