Government and Private Industry Programs: An Overview

Abstract

Surveying a wide range of company policies and programs on alcohol and other drug abuse, the author interviewed such divergent types of employer as a law enforcement agency, an electronics manufacturing company, a public transportation authority, a life insurance company, an insurance brokerage house, and a bank. Some of the private firms and public agencies have long-standing and successful alcoholism programs. Others, while they have had problems with alcoholism on the job, have handled such cases individually and have established no formal alcoholism program. All have had some experience with the use of other drugs among employees—in varying degrees—and all expect this problem to become more widespread as more young persons enter the work world. Approaches to the use of our legal drug—alcohol—and the illegal drugs are varied and may be helpful to other employers seeking to establish effective programming.