Drug Testing in the American Workplace: A Frantic Question in Search of an Answer

Author

James Patrick Robinson, Fontbonne College

Year of Award

1987

Degree

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

College

College of Business & Professional Studies

Degree Program

Business

Department

Business Administration

Keywords

Drug Abuse, EAP, Employee Assistance Program, Management, HR, Workman's Compensation Claims, Drug Testing

Abstract

Drug abuse in the workplace is costing the American business economy between $16 - $100 billion annual in absenteeism, mistakes, loss of good will, sick leave, increased insurance claims and higher incidents of workmen's compensation claims and employee disciplinary problems.

Many employers have sought to address the problem with a drug testing program, and those who have done so, have quickly come to realize that such programs are enmeshed in complicated and emotionally laden questions of law, science, medicine, human relations and ethics.

The paper "Drug Testing in the Workplace; a Frantic Question in Search of an Answer" seeks to discuss these areas of concerns and identify with some specificity the following:

1. Managerial and expense considerations involved in formulating such a program;

2. Provide models of such programs;

3. Offer criteria for critiquing such programs;

4. Reviewing legal concerns involved in formulating and administering such a program;

5. Discuss ethical perspectives ancillary to such a program, and

6. Review Employee Assistance Programs, which programs often accompany the creation of such a program.

The question of drug testing is extraordinarily complex, and because of its infancy as a topic of scholarly, managerial and legal concern, the answers to the questions are still evolving.

The only certainty that exists in this area is that drug abuse in the workplace exists, and business, as a microcosm of society, must come to grips with ameliorating and controlling the problem.

Comments

Appendices reproduced as bound.

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Recommended Citation

Robinson, James Patrick, "Drug Testing in the American Workplace: A Frantic Question in Search of an Answer" (1987). All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects. 623.
https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/all-etds/623