Tag: workplace

Employee Substance Abuse & The Affect On Your Company’s Bottom Line

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

More than ever, some of your team may need you help. Here’s some info to consider:

Employees with substance abuse problems cost businesses billions of dollars each year. According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, among the 17.8 million Americans aged 18 or older who admitted to illicit drug use, nearly 73% were employed. This equates to 12.9 million employees who admit to some form of substance abuse.

For the majority of substance abusers, their problem lies with alcohol. According to information published by Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, a part of the George Washington University Medical Center, alcohol abuse costs American businesses $134 billion in annual losses. Most of the losses are due to missed work: 65.3% of this cost is caused by alcohol-related illness, 27.2% due to premature death, and 7.5% to crime. People addicted to alcohol also spend more time in the hospital and have higher rates of job turnover than their non- or light-drinking co-workers.

Data such as this shows that alcohol and other substance abuse takes a toll on workplace productivity, and contributes to higher medical costs both for treatment of the addiction and for substance-related medical issues. Employee substance abuse problems also cause an increased occurrence of workplace accidents and higher Disability and Workers Compensation costs. There is no question that it is in an employer’s best interests to find ways to minimize the impact of employees’ substance abuse on the workplace.

Experts in the field stress that it is imperative that employers educate employees about the health hazards of substance addiction and encourage employees to seek early treatment of any problems. While stressing the importance of a drug-free workplace, policies that rely primarily on discipline can result in addicted employees hiding their problems out of fear of losing their jobs, and in co-workers enabling such behavior in a spirit of friendship. In this type of environment, an addicted employee might resist seeking assistance — such as obtaining treatment under the medical plan or taking a leave to enroll in a treatment program — until a crisis occurs.

On the other hand, employees will be more likely to seek the help they need if they believe that by doing so they will receive help, not punishment. The same is true of co-workers, who can be a valuable resource in encouraging addicted employees to ask for help and to stay committed once treatment has begun.

Since substance abuse is truly a medical problem, most medical insurance plans include at least some substance abuse benefits. Workplace communications about a business’s policies on alcohol/drug use should include this information. If employees realize that help is within reach, they are more likely to seek solutions to their problem. Some employees might not realize that this benefit is available to them. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can also offer screenings, counseling, and treatment referrals for employees with substance problems. Depending on the individual EAP design, it also might have worksite awareness and supervisor training programs.

Employers should make employees aware that any communications regarding substance abuse issues are confidential. This, together with a supportive (instead of punitive) environment, increases the likelihood that employees will ask for help.

With so many dollars wasted in lost productivity, the incentives for a business to promote substance abuse awareness are compelling. And, because work is such an important part of most people’s lives, the workplace can be an effective place for substance abuse intervention to begin.

For more information on our proprietary program for business owners, HR That Works, contact Raimie Brown at 877-994-6787 or [email protected]

Teen Employees-Rights & Responsibilities In The Workplace

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Every year, millions of teenagers join the workplace for the first time. A first job can be a positive experience for many, teaching them discipline and responsibility in addition to giving them some extra money. However, some teens find themselves working in hostile environments. Their supervisors might treat them unfairly because of their sex or race, harass them, hassle them about reasonable work accommodations, and retaliate against them if they complain to upper management about these conditions. Employers who tolerate mistreatment of employees, including teens, could find themselves in trouble with the law.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission described several examples of harassment of teens on its www.YouthAtWork.com Web site:

** In Pennsylvania, a 19 year-old shift supervisor at a Mexican restaurant sexually assaulted a 16 year-old female employee. His manager accused the girl of making it up, but after the supervisor confessed to the police, the EEOC sued the restaurant, which paid $150,000 in restitution to the employee and a fine to the EEOC.

**A store manager at a fast food place in Kansas harassed and sexually assaulted a 14 year-old girl. He eventually went to prison, but because the company had permitted him to harass at least four female employees, it paid restitution, wrote letters of apology, and was required to implement mandatory sexual harassment training for employees.

**Several women, both teen-aged and older, were sexually harassed by a store manager at a California bagel shop. Their complaints to management did not improve the situation, and eventually some of them quit. The EEOC sued the shop, the offending manager lost his job, and the owners of the shop paid a steep penalty.

The EEOC’s Web site lists several rights and responsibilities of teen-aged workers, including:1. The right to work free of discrimination.
2. The responsibility to treat other employees without discrimination.
3. The right to work free of harassment.
4.  The right to complain about job discrimination without punishment, and the responsibility to inform management of discrimination.
5.  The right and responsibility to request workplace changes for the worker’s religion or disability.
6. The right to keep medical information private.

To avoid harassment claims from any employees, young or old, employers should:* Adopt, promote, and enforce a formal policy against sexual harassment.
* Take reports of harassment seriously. Investigate all reports and take appropriate action, if required.
* Emphasize to supervisors and managers that they are not to retaliate against employees who complain of harassment.
* Provide training for managers on how to recognize sexual harassment and how to receive complaints.
* Train new employees on how to recognize harassment and how to make complaints.

Employers should also carry Employment Practices Liability insurance (EPLI) to protect themselves against the financial consequences of claims that do occur. EPLI policies cover the employer’s liability for discrimination, wrongful termination of employment, sexual harassment, rights violations, and other harmful acts committed by company managers. One of our professional insurance agents can give advice on the different policies available and their cost.

Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe working environment for all employees, but that responsibility is magnified when it comes to teenage employees. Keeping your workplace harassment-free will ensure a happy, productive workforce and keep your attention where it should be — on growing your business.  If you have any questions or need assistance with your protection coverages, please contact any of our Total Protection Team at 877-994-6787 or email us – [email protected].

What are you doing to manage risk is some of the areas described above?

BE AWARE OF SIGNS THAT COULD INDICATE THREAT OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Posted on by butlervetinsurance

Today near San Diego, a recently fired casino employee killed another and took his own life at the scene of his previous employment.  

On average, 20 workers are killed each week on the job, making homicide the second leading cause of death at the workplace (after motor vehicle accidents). Additionally, an estimated million workers are non-fatally assaulted each year, according to data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though the vast majority of workplace violence is related to robbery and perpetrated by individuals from outside a business, about 9% involves co-workers or former employees. 

Workplace violence committed by current or former employees has a devastating impact on a business and its employees. Although the real and immediate injury to the victim(s) delivers the biggest blow, the business itself can suffer bad publicity and, likely, an expensive lawsuit. Regardless of whether or not workers who were not involved in the incident witnessed the event, many are likely to experience emotional after-effects.

What are the causes of workplace violence? According to a guide published by the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry, workplace violence can occur at any business, because the business environment is not the only trigger of brutal incidents. Family stress, substance abuse issues, and an employee’s overall psychological status, can carry into the workplace and provoke an incident of violence. Other situations that can lead to tragedy include an employee developing an unrequited crush on a co-worker, being rejected for a promotion, or feeling they are treated unjustly by a supervisor. In some cases, an individual cannot handle the resulting feelings of rejection appropriately. The pressure to produce and/or fear of layoffs can also trigger violence in an unbalanced employee.

An analysis by USA Today of 224 incidents of workplace violence committed by employees concluded that, in 80% of cases, the employee had exhibited clear warning signs of possible violence, which were ignored or minimized by supervisors or co-workers. Although some red flags of violence are clear — such as wielding a weapon or making verbal threats — others are less obvious. Experts in the field urge caution when the following behaviors are present:

  • Continuous complaints of unjust treatment
  • Inability or unwillingness to be held accountable, as well as the need to place blame on others
  • Difficulty in accepting criticism
  • Deterioration of job performance
  • Mood swings or personality/behavioral changes
  • Emotional outbursts

Although workplace violence cannot be eliminated completely, businesses can take action to lessen the chances that an incident will take place. Supervisors, managers, and all other employees should be made aware of actions and attitudes that can indicate potential violence. Companies need to make it perfectly clear that non-physical precursors to violence — such as bullying, intimidation, aggression, and threats — will not be tolerated. Policies should also encourage employees to report such red flags, with reasonable assurance of their personal safety. Managers and supervisors require training in how to diffuse workplace tensions effectively and deal with confrontations before they turn violent. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) or other counseling services can be helpful in taking these steps.

Give us your comments on how yoiur keep your workplace safe and free from violence.

Please contact any of our protection coaches for more information and tools to help your business:

Phone – 877.994.6787
Email us – [email protected]
Web – agency.thebutlerweb.com