Worker Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs: Results from the 1994 and 1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse

Worker Drug Use and Workplace Policies and Programs: Results from the 1994 and 1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse

5.7 Discussion

The impact of workplace drug testing programs on employees

choices of labor force participation changed significantly between 1994 and 1997. These significant differences indicated that, over the period from 1994 to 1997, overall, employees became less likely to be upset if tests for drugs were implemented at their workplaces. However, among current drug users in small establishments, fully one-third said they would be less likely to work for an establishment that tests at hiring, randomly, and upon suspicion.

The magnitudes of workers= self-reported reluctance to work for employers who test for drug use are differentiated by occupational groups, by type of drug testing program, and by size of the establishment at which they work. For example, workers in executive, administrative, and managerial occupations, and workers in sales and construction occupations also reported a larger scale of reluctance to work for employers who tested for drug use upon suspicion.

Table 5.1 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Age 18 - 49, Reporting Workplace Drug Testing Programs, by Establishment Size, 1994 and 1997


Type of Program	Total¹		1 -24 Employees (1)		25 - 499 Employees (2)		500 or More Employees (3)
Type of Program	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997
Any	43.6	48.5^b	22.5^(1,3)	27.5^(1,3), ^b	52.2^(1,2)	57.5^{(1,2), a}	68.4^(2,3)	73.6^(2,3)
At Hiring	34.7	38.6^a	16.0^(1,3)	19.5^{(1,3), a}	42.1^(1,2)	46.3^(1,2)	57.2^(2,3)	62.5^(2,3)
Random	20.2	25.4^b	10.6^(1,3)	14.6^{(1,3), b}	24.7^(1,2)	29.8^{(1,2), a}	29.8	38.7^a
Upon Suspicion	27.5	30.1	12.4^(1,3)	15.9^{(1,3), a}	33.3^(1,2)	36.5^(1,2)	46.0^(2,3)	46.0
Post- Accident	22.4	28.7^b	11.2^(1,3)	16.3^{(1,3), b}	28.0^(1,2)	34.5^{(1,2), b}	32.9	42.2^a

Note: 1. The denominator refers to all full-time workers, age 18-49, in the sample whose workplace sizes were known (n=6,973 in 1994, and

n=7875 in 1997).

^(1,2) Difference between small establishment (1-24 employees) and medium-sized establishment (25-499 employees) is statistically significant at the .01 level.

^(1,3) Difference between small establishment (1-24 employees) and large establishment (500 or more employees) is statistically significant at the .01 level.

^(2,3) Difference between medium-sized establishment (25-499 employees) and large establishment (500 or more employees) is statistically significant at the .01 level.

^aDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .05 level.

^bDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .01 level.

Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994-B, 1997.

Table 5.2 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Age 18-49, Reporting Workplace Drug Testing Programs, by Occupation Category and Type of Program, 1994 and 1997

Occupation Category Type of Testing Program

At Hiring Random Upon Suspicion Post-Accident

1994 1997 1994 1997 1994 1997 1994 1997

Total 34.5 38.5^a 20.1 25.3^b 27.4 29.9 22.3 28.6^b

Executive, Administrative & Managerial 30.1 33.3 18.3 24.1 25.5 30.3 17.7 27.2^b

Professional Specialty 24.2 26.9 12.4 14.3 19.7 17.9 11.8 15.2

Technicians & Related Support 35.9 38.0 20.5 19.5 34.8 30.3 20.7 26.4

Sales 25.9 28.9 14.0 18.7 19.0 23.9 16.2 19.8

Administrative Support 39.8 42.6 17.1 24.6^a 24.7 31.3^a 19.2 26.0^a

Protective Service 67.1 74.0 38.7 60.4^b 62.1 68.9 37.3 56.0^a

Food Preparation, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders 16.7 19.1 9.2 16.7^a 14.8 19.0 12.7 18.1

Other Service 25.9 37.3 19.7 19.6 27.5 24.0 15.5 20.9

Precision Production & Repair 35.0 56.1^b 24.7 34.9 27.9 41.6 31.4 38.0

Construction 29.8 25.8 23.9 25.7 23.5 22.4 24.7 27.2

Extractive & Precision Production 51.5 56.8 25.4 35.8 37.0 47.7 34.8 35.7

Machine Operators & Inspectors 53.9 58.0 27.1 30.8 42.3 38.2 39.5 48.7

Transportation & Material Moving 61.7 62.7 51.3 52.9 47.9 47.6 56.9 54.7

Handlers, Helpers & Laborers 40.6 49.2 25.6 32.0 32.6 38.7 30.5 45.3^a

Note: 1. The denominator refers to all those full-time workers, age 18-49, in the sample whose occupation was reported (n=6,999 in 1994 and n=7892 in 1997).

^aDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .05 level.

^bDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .01 level.

Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994-B, 1997.

Table 5.3 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Age 18 - 49, Reporting Workplace Drug Testing Programs, by Establishment Size and Current Illicit Drug Use, 1994 and 1997


Type of Program	Total				1 -24 Employees				25 - 499 Employees				500 or More Employees
	Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use		Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use		Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use		Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use
	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997
Any	33.7	47.4^a	44.4⁺⁺	48.6^a	22.5	20.7	22.5	28.2^b	43.5	63.1^a	52.7	57.0	59.5	85.2^b	68.9	72.9
At Hiring	24.4	35.5^a	35.6⁺⁺	38.9	12.5	9.6	16.5	20.4^++a	32.8	48.4	42.6⁺	46.2	56.4	79.9^a	57.3	61.4 ⁺
Random	12.3	21.2^a	20.8⁺⁺	25.7^b	7.1	5.6	11.0	15.5^++b	17.4	29.1	25.2⁺	29.8^a	22.7	47.4^a	30.2	38.1
Upon Suspicion	23.2	33.0^a	27.9	29.8	11.6	15.3	12.5	16.0^a	33.6	42.0	33.3	36.0	48.9	63.0	45.9	45.0
Post- Accident	19.3	29.8^a	22.6	28.6^b	9.9	16.4	11.4	16.3^b	28.9	38.1	27.9	34.2^b	37.4	47.3	32.7	41.9^a

⁺Difference between current illicit drug users and non-users is statistically significant at the .05 level.

⁺⁺Difference between current illicit drug users and non-users is statistically significant at the .01 level.

^aDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .05 level.

^bDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .01 level.

Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994-B, 1997.

Table 5.4 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Age 18 - 49, Reporting that They Would be LESS LIKELY to Work for an Employer Who Tests for Drug Use in Various Circumstances, by Establishment Size and Current Illicit Drug Use, 1994 and 1997


Establishment Size	Tests for Drugs at Hiring				Tests for Drugs Randomly				Tests for Drugs Upon Suspicion				Tests for Drugs Post-Accident
	Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use		Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use		Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use		Current Illicit Drug Use		No Current Illicit Drug Use
	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997
Total	29.6	21.8	5.9	3.5^b	40.3	28.5^b	11.6	6.4^b	31.0	23.5	13.7	9.8^b	14.3	13.4	5.9	4.3^a
1-24 Employees	29.3	33.0	6.4	3.7^a	38.0	37.0	10.3	6.1^b	31.6	32.3	13.0	9.5^a	15.2	13.6	5.8	4.7
25 - 499 Employees	30.5	15.1^a	5.5	3.6^a	41.2	24.6^a	11.7	6.7^b	30.5	18.1^a	13.3	9.5^a	14.7	13.1	5.9	4.7
500 + Employees	28.8	6.5^b	5.9	3.1	47.7	13.2^b	14.1	6.3^b	29.6	12.1^a	15.9	11.1	9.7	14.1	6.0	2.5^b

^aDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .05 level.

^bDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .01 level.

Source: Office of Applied Students, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994-B, 1997.

Table 5.5 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Age 18-49, Reporting that They Would Be LESS LIKELY to Work for an Employer Who Tests for Drug Use in Various Circumstances, by Occupation Categories, 1994 and 1997


Occupation Category	Tests for Drugs at Hiring			Tests for Drugs Randomly			Tests for Drugs Upon Suspicion
Occupation Category	1994	1997	Diff.	1994	1997	Diff.	1994	1997	Diff.
Total	7.7	4.9	-2.8^b	13.7	8.1	-5.6^b	15.0	10.8	-4.2^b
Executive, Administrative & Managerial	7.3	3.0	-4.4^b	13.9	6.1	-7.7^b	15.7	12.0	-3.7
Professional Specialty	12.2	9.6	-2.6	20.8	13.1	-7.7^b	17.0	15.0	-2.0
Technicians & Related Support	9.4	10.4	1.0	19.0	12.9	-6.1	14.4	12.4	-2.1
Sales	6.6	3.5	-3.2^a	13.7	7.2	-6.5^b	15.7	13.4	-2.2
Administrative Support	5.0	3.0	-2.0	11.6	6.8	-4.8^b	13.8	8.4	-5.4^a
Protective Service	6.0	0.6	-5.3^a	7.4	6.4	-1.1	16.5	8.5	-8.0
Food Preparation, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders	10.1	12.4	2.3	11.9	11.7	-0.2	15.0	11.0	-4.0
Other Service	6.4	3.5	-2.8	12.0	5.5	-6.5^a	13.4	6.3	-7.1^a
Precision Production & Repair	7.8	1.8	-6.0^a	11.2	3.6	-7.6^a	14.7	8.9	-5.8
Construction	10.4	5.6	-4.7	12.3	9.6	-2.7	16.3	15.6	-0.7
Extractive & Precision Production	5.6	5.7	0.2	14.7	7.7	-7.0	13.4	7.7	-5.7
Machine Operators & Inspectors	6.8	4.7	-2.2	9.2	9.4	0.2	10.9	9.6	-1.3
Transportation & Material Moving	4.6	3.3	-1.4	11.0	8.0	-3.1	22.5	8.1	-14.4^b
Handlers, Helpers & Laborers	5.1	1.9	-3.2	10.1	2.6	-7.5^a	7.4	4.0	-3.4

^aDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .05 level.

^bDifference between 1994 and 1997 is statistically significant at the .01 level.

Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1994-B, 1997

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Table 5.2 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Age 18-49, Reporting Workplace Drug Testing Programs, by Occupation Category and Type of Program, 1994 and 1997
Occupation Category	Type of Testing Program
	At Hiring		Random		Upon Suspicion		Post-Accident
	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997	1994	1997
Total	34.5	38.5^a	20.1	25.3^b	27.4	29.9	22.3	28.6^b
Executive, Administrative & Managerial	30.1	33.3	18.3	24.1	25.5	30.3	17.7	27.2^b
Professional Specialty	24.2	26.9	12.4	14.3	19.7	17.9	11.8	15.2
Technicians & Related Support	35.9	38.0	20.5	19.5	34.8	30.3	20.7	26.4
Sales	25.9	28.9	14.0	18.7	19.0	23.9	16.2	19.8
Administrative Support	39.8	42.6	17.1	24.6^a	24.7	31.3^a	19.2	26.0^a
Protective Service	67.1	74.0	38.7	60.4^b	62.1	68.9	37.3	56.0^a
Food Preparation, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders	16.7	19.1	9.2	16.7^a	14.8	19.0	12.7	18.1
Other Service	25.9	37.3	19.7	19.6	27.5	24.0	15.5	20.9
Precision Production & Repair	35.0	56.1^b	24.7	34.9	27.9	41.6	31.4	38.0
Construction	29.8	25.8	23.9	25.7	23.5	22.4	24.7	27.2
Extractive & Precision Production	51.5	56.8	25.4	35.8	37.0	47.7	34.8	35.7
Machine Operators & Inspectors	53.9	58.0	27.1	30.8	42.3	38.2	39.5	48.7
Transportation & Material Moving	61.7	62.7	51.3	52.9	47.9	47.6	56.9	54.7
Handlers, Helpers & Laborers	40.6	49.2	25.6	32.0	32.6	38.7	30.5	45.3^a