Implementing a Drug Free Workplace Program.

Corporate Wellness contacted a company shortly after they made Inc. magazine's fast growing business list. At that time, their human resource department consisted of one person. The organization had fewer than 40 locations and approximately 1,700 employees. The company had just drafted their first drug-free workplace policy and had distributed it to their management team across the country for comments. Their intention was to have each location make their own local drug screening arrangements after the policy had been reviewed, edited and approved.

We agreed to touch base again in six months to see how it was going.

Several hours later, the phone rang and it was the company's HR person. Apparently, one manager had received the draft drug-free workplace policy and when he faced a situation involving drugs (having observed an employee hiding drugs in the drop ceiling in a bathroom), he sent the employee for a drug screen. The policy had not been approved, it had not been distributed nor explained to employees and although he was a DOT regulated driver, the positive result had not been reviewed by a medical review officer.

The HR Manager was looking for guidance and our advice may not have been what she expected. We told her that she couldn't use this drug screen. It had not been properly communicated, administered or reviewed. It was not legally defensible. Had we been involved earlier in this situation, we likely would have advised that the manager call the police. Substance abuse outside of the workplace differs dramatically from drug possession (and storage) at work.

Six weeks later, Corporate Wellness, Inc. rolled out their company-wide drug free workplace policy through training sessions at their annual management conference. The training included substance abuse awareness, review of the new company policy and specific procedures. Each company location now had a procedure, and access through our nationwide network of medical facilities, to send prospective employees for pre-placement drug screens and for random, reasonable cause, post accident, return to duty and other drug and alcohol screens for current employees.

Today, their program is a stellar example of a drug-free workplace program that deters prospective employees from even applying if they are substance abusers and supports every employee who asks for help with a substance abuse problem. They have almost 200 locations, 10,000 employees and believe being a drug-free workplace has been key to their growth.

[Back to Success Stories]