The Employer Sector Findings

One major barrier many in recovery face when trying to get back on their feet is the difficulty in obtaining a secure job. Exemplifying the important connection between recovery and work, one interviewee stated “you can’t recover if you don’t have employment”. Employers can positively impact the work environment and reduce stigma for their employees in recovery by removing hiring barriers, educating staff, working with or hiring peer recovery specialists, and setting reasonable standards and expectations for employees in recovery. One of our key partners, the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board is already working towards accomplishing these goals by providing support to persons in recovery during their journey to employment as well as implementing new programs and initiatives.

Employers who have experience employing persons in recovery can provide a great resource to other employers in their community. Local restaurants could be a particularly important industry to lead the way. While the culture within the restaurant industry makes it difficult to stay drug free, it is also typically one of the few industries that are hiring. One of our interviewees was a local restaurant manager who has hired many employees in recovery and has worked with the restaurant owner to help provide housing for those in need. 

Our recommendations for employers fall into two categories: pre-hire policies and post-hire support.

Almost half of those interviewed said that a lack of resources available to aid with job prep was a major barrier to recovery. One interviewee in recovery stated that she did not know the right attire and was caught off guard by common interview questions. Making interview skill training accessible to those in recovery will help to eliminate stigma from creeping into the hiring process. Many in recovery also have gaps on their resumes from the time they spent receiving help and getting back on their feet. This gap is often seen as a negative time in one’s history. By aiding in these areas and reducing judgement, the chances of staying in recovery will increase.

Many employers screen for criminal records; the literature showed that 8% of the working age population have been convicted of a felony. When this number is expanded to include those with misdemeanors, it increases to 28%. The stigmatization of past behavior can be resolved by eliminating the criminal offense box in the beginning of the hiring process. Potential workers would be initially reviewed based on their current aptitudes and qualifications. An employer interviewee stated a benefit of hiring people in recovery is that they stay longer in their jobs. However, one reason many workplaces require checking the box or pre-hire drug testing is due to liability concerns.

The first statistic highlights that unfortunately substance use in the workplace is more common than one might think. Substance misuse can affect companies through lost productivity, health care expenses and disability overall costing the United States more than 120 billion dollars annually.

Based on our research, we believe an employer toolkit should include strong employee assistant programs (EAP) and workplace leadership to keep those in recovery in the workforce. 

About 66% of worksites with 100 or more employees and 90% of Fortune 500 firms have an EAP. Yet out of all US working-aged adults seeking help for substance abuse, only around 7.5% have been a part of an EAP, demonstrating a significant opportunity for improving this mode of reaching those in need of support. EAP services need to be clearly spelled out and employees must be assured they are absolutely confidential and protected under HIPPA.

An example of leadership in the workplace is PeerCare, a substance abuse prevention and early intervention program created by a major interstate transportation company. Employees complete trainings to learn how to recognize and intervene with a coworker who has a substance abuse problem.

The black line in the figure shows as more employees were trained over the years, injury costs were greatly reduced displayed by the dashed line.