Illegal Drugs in the Workplace

 Posted on January 10, 2018 in Uncategorized

Being charged with possession and use of illegal drugs is very serious and could cost you your overall quality of life. However, if you are in possession of illegal drugs in the workplace, whether in retail or corporate, there is major cause for concern. You may lose your job, and you may also lose all possibilities of future employment. Not only will you suffer the consequences, your employer may lose thousands of dollars to increased health care, legal liabilities, worker’s compensation costs, and lost productivity.

What Can Illegal Drugs Cost the Workplace?

Of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs, roughly 70 percent of those users are employed. Marijuana, cocaine, and prescription drugs have been found to be the most widely used drug in the workplace, and employees who have held at least three jobs within a five year time span have been found to be at least twice as likely to use illegal drugs as their counterparts, employees who have had two or fewer jobs within the same time span.

Signs of Illegal Drugs in the Workplace

When an employee is using illegal drugs in the workplace, the employer is more likely to experience increased absenteeism and sick leave, as well as injuries and premature deaths among employees, and loss of production. The employee accused of illegal drug use may specifically sleep on the job or show up to work late, but may also make poor decisions at work, lower the morale of the coworkers, and steal office supplies. The employee may also have more trouble with coworkers and supervisors and may lose focus more easily.

If a family member or significant other is living with the employee using illegal drugs, that person may also lose focus more easily on tasks at hand, and he or she may experience poor performance at work, as well as lower morale.

Contact a Chicago Drug Crime Defense Attorney

Illegal drugs have been a major problem for many years, and possession and use may come with very serious consequences. If you have been charged with a drug crime, you will need effective legal representation. At the Law Offices of Hal M. Garfinkel LLC, Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney, our experienced Chicago criminal defense lawyers have provided effective legal representation to Chicago and Cook County area clients for over 28 years, and we are ready to discuss your case with you. For a free initial consultation, please call 312-629-0669 today.

Source:

https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/addiction-update/drugs-and-alcohol-in-the-workplace