NANTUCKET BUILDER’S ASSOCIATION

W E D N E S D A Y , M A R C H 1 8 T H

S A R A H C H O T K O W S K I , L C S W T E S S A N D R A P E A R S O N , L M H C , L A D C , C R C

F A M I L Y & C H I L D R E N ’ S S E R V I C E O F N A N T U C K E T C O U N T Y , I N C .

( F C S N )

Impact of Substance Use on Workplace Safety & Business

OVERVIEW FOR TONIGHT

Prevalence rates of substance use and abuse.  

Why is substance use is so prevalent?  

The impact of substance use.  

How substance use affects workplace safety and good

business practices.  

What to do?  

How to protect yourself and your business.  

Supports available on-island.  

Why are we talking about substance use?

…and what does it have to do with our work??

IN THE TRADES

•  More than 14% of full and part time employed Americans report drinking heavily 1

�  Highest rates of current illicit drug use; ¡  Construction workers (15.6%), ¡  sales personnel (11.4%), ¡  food industry employees (11.2%), ¡  laborers (10.6%), and ¡  machine operators and

inspectors (10.5%)

IN OUR COMMUNITY

•  More than 60% of adults know someone who has gone to work under the influence1

 •  In 2014, the average amount of crisis encounters in

serviced by FCSN* were; •  228~ annual average •  19~ monthly •  many people from Nantucket were taken off-island for residential

substance abuse treatment2  

*State reported documents to the Department of Mental Health, 2014.

HIGH RATES IN OUR COMMUNITY

•  Significant drug and alcohol use are high amongst people involved in trade industries.

•  Nantucket appears to have higher rates of prevalence and abuse than the rest of the state and country.  

PREVALENCE RATES

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?

�  Dependence on tourism?

�  Seasonal nature of work?

�  Financial stressors?

�  Nasty winter weather?

�  Not much else to do?

�  What are some examples you can think of?

Estimated that alcohol and drug abuse costs…

Drug using employees are;

�  $246 billion ¡  decreased productivity, ¡  increase accidents, ¡  absenteeism, ¡  turnover, and medical costs*

�  2.2x more likely to request time

off,

�  2.5x more likely to have absences

of 8+ days,

�  3x more likely to be late to work,

�  3.6x more likely to be involved in a

workplace accident,

�  5x more likely to file a workers’

compensation claim*

*http://www.dol.gov/elaws/asp/drugfree/benefits.htm

THE IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE

IN THE WOKPLACE

� One study* found that… ¡  75% of substance users report using at work,

¡  64% admit that their use negatively affected their job

performance, and

¡  44% sold drugs to other employees, and

¡  18% had stolen from co-workers to support their drug

habit. *Statistics provided by Department of Labor (www.dol.gov/elaws/asp/drugfree/benefits.html)

OUR PRESENTATION WILL COVER WHAT TO DO WHEN…

�  …an employee is

operating under the influence

�  …you suspect an employee is struggling with substance abuse

�  …you need to help someone get help

�  … you need to assess the legal ramifications

�  …you need to document the steps you’ve taken

WARNING SIGNS

Change in behaviors and patterns Mood swings

Easily angered and/or frustrated Absent from work

Inability to explain why something wasn’t done or where they were

Documentation doesn’t make sense Frequent accidents/injuries

Stress in other areas of their life Tired all the time

SIGNS OF ALCOHOL USE…

Relaxed inhibitions

Impaired judgement

Slurred speech, slow

movement, less alert,

Red and watery eyes,

drooped eyelids

Flushed face

SIGNES OF MARIJUANA USE

�  Redness in the whites of the eye

�  Large pupils

�  Tremor in eyelids and muscles

�  Disorientation “slow”

�  Anxiety or paranoia

�  Distinct odor (herbal and skunk-like)

�  Drug paraphernalia like pipes, paper,

plastic bags *

*http://drugreconition.com/Marjua.htm

SIGNES OF OPIATE USE

�  Tiny pupils

�  Looks tired or drowsy

�  Itchy, nauseated

�  Slowed breathing, sweaty

�  Reduced social interaction

�  Needle tracks

�  Dental injury

�  Drug paraphernalia: needles, something to

constrict the vein with, plastic bags

�  Poor memory*

*http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-pain-

relievers.html

External How to spot it

�  Large pupils

�  Runny nose, nose bleeds

�  Vertigo (balance off)

�  Overtly talkative

�  Appearing over-confident, jittery, or

paranoid

�  Out of touch with reality: disoriented, or

delusional

�  Drug paraphernalia: glass pipes, plastic

bags, burns from pipe*

*http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/signs-symptoms-cocaine-use.html

SIGNS OF COCAIN USE

HOW TO KNOW FOR SURE

�  The only way to know for sure… ¡  is by someone’s own admission that they are under the

influence OR ¡  from drug testing

�  Employees who are accused of being under the influence and terminated without evidence have legal protection

LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS

�  Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

�  Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) �  Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

�  Employers and employees have rights to a substance free workplace

�  People who request access to their OSHA rights cannot be punished or discriminated against*

�  www.osha.gov/workers.html

ADA

�  The American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides limited protection from discrimination for people in recovery from substance abuse*

�  Individuals currently using substances are not protected.

�  Individuals with a history of substance abuse are protected.

�  *42 U.S.C. §§ 12111–12117.

Employers CAN…

Employers CANNOT..

�  Prohibit the use of

drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

�  Can administer or require drug screenings.

�  Discriminate against people who are in recovery.

UNDER ADA…

UNDER ADA: EMPLOYERS SHOULD…

�  Provide “reasonable accommodations” to people in recovery. ¡  …like a modified work schedule so they can attend treatment

FMLA

�  The Family Medical Leave Act entitles employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specific reasons, without loosing health insurance coverage and other job-related benefits*

�  FMLA leave can be taken for substance abuse treatment if the individual is referred for treatment by a healthcare provider

�  Not every employee is covered under FMLA, only those who have ¡  worked for the company for 12 moths ¡  worked at least 1,250 hours a year and ¡  Work for a company where at least 50 employees are

employed by the employer within a 75 mile radius

�  *http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/

IT CAN GET COMPLICATED…

�  Understanding the legal ramifications can get complicated ¡  Case example of John

�  We STRONGLY recommend getting in touch with your legal counsel on a case by case basis.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTATION

�  Documentation protects employers and employees

�  2 types of documentation: preventative and reactive ¡  Preventative: making sure you have a Drug & Alcohol Policy

¡  Reactive: documenting what steps were taken when you became aware of a violation

THINGS TO DOCUMENT

Drug and Alcohol Policy

�  Substance use is banned

�  Rules about testing

�  Status while

investigation is pending

�  Range of possible

outcomes

Reactive Documentation �  When did the alleged

incident happen? �  Who/when/how was it

reported? �  What investigative action

was taken? �  What will the results be �  Room for addendum Sample example…

DRUG TESTING

�  Breathalyzers cost anywhere from $30-$100 and do not require training to administer

�  Drug tests can be performed using urine or a mouth swab

�  Several primary care doctors on island are equipped to administer drug tests and can do so in a 15 minute appointment and fax the results directly to the employer

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE

�  Addiction is an illness. �  Bring empathy, leave judgment out of it. �  Assess for safety (alcohol withdrawal is life-

threatening) �  People are more likely to seek treatment when its feasible.

SUPPORTING ACCESS TO TREATMENT BENEFITS EVERYONE

�  The Warner Corporation, in Washington D.C.

�  $385,000 in one year with an

employee assistance program (EAP)

�  Savings = ¡  decrease in accidents ¡  fewer worker’s comp. claims ¡  lower vehicle insurance costs ¡  more apprentices finished the

program

*http://www.dol.gov/elaws/asp/drugfree/benefits.htm

�  The cost of; ¡  recruiting, ¡  training, and ¡  replacing terminated

employees …is almost always more expensive than implementing an EAP.

TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE

�  Effective treatment; ¡  Detox ¡  residential treatment ¡  outpatient therapy ¡  group therapy ¡  AA/NA ¡  medication management

�  Help is available for people who need more.

WHEN YOU GET STUCK…

�  Document what steps you did take.

�  Consult your legal counsel.

�  Call FCSN’s crisis line 24hr/365.

(508) 228-2689

�  Mobile crisis evaluation: meet, assess, make a plan, and facilitate access.

QUESTIONS?