Employee Drug and Alcohol Use Estimates: Assessment Styles and Issues

Abstract

Estimates of employee drug and alcohol abuse levels are increasingly used by employers to evaluate Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). It is important to understand what goes into an estimate and the issues surrounding the utilization of such estimates. When estimates suggest that employee drug and alcohol abuse has not diminshed while Employee Assistance Program costs have been consistently high or increasing, these programs may be cut back or cancelled. Employees who are in need of these programs may lose them.