Company looks at drug testing by the numbers

Employers seeking to cut their workers' comp costs might want to ramp up their drug testing programs or implement them if they don't have them already.

An unidentified company eliminated preemployment drug testing in an effort to aid its plan to hire 1,200 people within 90 days.

Fourteen months later, the company had a 39.2 percent increase in its workers' comp costs. It also reported:

106 percent increase in recordable injuries.
147 percent increase in total incidents, including property damage, near-misses, and the like.
787 percent increase in post-hire positive drug screens.
93 percent increase in indemnity claims.

Research: Binge eating costs thousands in lost productivity (05/31/12)
Obesity trumps aging as top influencer on workers' comp, experts say (09/13/12)
Be wary of common claims handling mistakes, panelists advise (05/21/12)
Bankruptcy of Impairment Resources should serve as 'wake-up call' (04/05/12)
Watch for red flags during investigations (05/21/12)

January 3, 2013

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