Research shows that almost 15 million Americans use illicit drugs. More than 75% of those users are employed somewhere. Government agencies are at risk of becoming the "employer of choice" for a number of reasons. Most, especially city and county governments, do not require drug testing of their employees. Tight budgets, and a false sense of security ("our employees value their jobs too much to jeopardize it with drug use") are blamed for the absence of Employee Drug Testing Programs. But in the long run, these agencies pay a high price for their lack of priority on drug testing. Some costs - increased absences (users take 3 times as many sick days), workplace theft (approximately 20% of users admit to stealing from co-workers and the company to help support their drug use), accidents (also 3 times higher for users) and errors - are obvious. Others, such as employee turnover (twice as likely to change jobs 3 or more times in one year), downtime (81 billion in lost productivity per year), behavioral problems, low employee moral (1 in 5 workers report that they have had to work harder, redo work or cover for a co-worker or have been put in danger or injured as a result of a fellow employee's drug or alcohol abuse) and high illness rates, are less obvious, but equally harmful. Though some government agencies may not be required by law to drug test employees, the many valuable benefits of an active program far exceed the cost. And remember, an effective program can keep you from being the employer of choice for users, abusers and addicts. Research shows that almost 15 million Americans use illicit drugs. More than 75% of those users are employed somewhere. Government agencies are at risk of becoming the "employer of choice" for a number of reasons. Most, especially city and county governments, do not require drug testing of their employees. Tight budgets, and a false sense of security ("our employees value their jobs too much to jeopardize it with drug use") are blamed for the absence of Employee Drug Testing Programs. But in the long run, these agencies pay a high price for their lack of priority on drug testing. Some costs - increased absences (users take 3 times as many sick days), workplace theft (approximately 20% of users admit to stealing from co-workers and the company to help support their drug use), accidents (also 3 times higher for users) and errors - are obvious. Others, such as employee turnover (twice as likely to change jobs 3 or more times in one year), downtime (81 billion in lost productivity per year), behavioral problems, low employee moral (1 in 5 workers report that they have had to work harder, redo work or cover for a co-worker or have been put in danger or injured as a result of a fellow employee's drug or alcohol abuse) and high illness rates, are less obvious, but equally harmful.

Though some government agencies may not be required by law to drug test employees, the many valuable benefits of an active program far exceed the cost. And remember, an effective program can keep you from being the employer of choice for users, abusers and addicts.