Employers are well aware of the importance of hiring qualified, reliable employees who are willing and able to do a job well and contribute to the success of their organization. Most employers also know that attracting such applicants is not always easy, but always worth the effort.

For a number of reasons, employers often have reservations about hiring workers in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. However, hiring people in recovery can be well worth the investment, despite many perceived risks.

Addiction to alcohol and other drugs can be successfully treated, and countless people in recovery lead successful, productive lives, contributing positively to their communities. Most are in the workforce, and in many cases are reliable, dedicated employees who attach special meaning and value to their jobs.

Who are Workers in Recovery?

Addiction to alcohol and other drugs knows no ethnic, religious or socio-economic boundaries, and individuals who have this chronic, yet manageable, disease come from all walks of life. As such, individuals with addiction should be treated the same as people with other life-threatening illnesses and disabilities.

Offered the opportunity, people in recovery from addiction can do meaningful work, contribute positively to their communities and become productive, tax-paying members of society. In fact, many people in recovery are outstanding employees precisely because they have faced obstacles and overcome enormous challenges. Through treatment and the recovery process, they have gained new life skills and achieved goals they may have never before dreamed possible. Many of these newly developed abilities benefit them—and their employers—in the workplace. People in recovery often:

§                     Recognize that they have a chronic and possibly recurring disability and are on alert for threats to their commitment to a life free of alcohol or other drugs.

§                     Have learned to recognize early warning signs and know how to employ effective coping skills to avert relapse.

§                     Are motivated to pursue and maintain meaningful work because of their treatment experience.

§                     Are motivated to learn new skills and apply themselves in new, productive ways.

§                     Are more educated and have better job and life skills as a result of their treatment experience.

§                     Have learned to cultivate and maintain extensive professional and peer support networks as part of their commitment to remain sober.

§                     Are self aware and committed to change for good, understanding that through recovery, they created their own second chance or “lease on life.”

§                     Are highly motivated to make up for past mistakes and lost time, a desire which translates into accomplishment in the workplace.

§                     Commit themselves to the job because it is the right thing to do and because work positively fills the void initially created by giving up alcohol and/or other drugs.

§                     Are team players who want to help others succeed.

§                     Have already overcome significant challenges in achieving recovery, an accomplishment that contributes to a determination to succeed in other areas of their lives, including employment.

Steps Employers Can Take to Ensure their Workplace is Recovery Friendly

Sound management practices benefit all staff and improve overall productivity and morale—company features that ultimately result in increased profitability and success. These strategies require little or no modification to foster success for people in recovery. By adopting the following workplace practices, employers can help ensure that individuals in recovery experience a smooth transition into their workplace.

Maintain a drug-free workplace program

Employers who maintain comprehensive drug-free workplace drug-free workplace programs that include employee assistance are well equipped to respond to a host of personal and health issues that may interfere with an employee’s job performance.

Offer flexible working hours

Flexible hours allow individuals to attend treatment-related meetings, support groups and counseling sessions.

Create a mentoring network for new employees

Senior employees showing newcomers “the ropes” helps alleviate the anxieties that typically accompany starting a new job.

Recruit worksite recovery sponsors

When possible, employers should recruit experienced employees to partner with new employees in recovery to help them stay on track. More seasoned employees who may have experienced similar problems can be a valuable source of support for newcomers who will inevitably face comparable on-the-job experiences.

Offer life skills training for employees and supervisors

Such training may include time and stress management and communication skills and often has a significant positive impact on all employees’ job performance.

Offer health insurance to all employees, when possible

Health insurance can significantly minimize anxiety when an employee or a member of his or her family gets sick. Making this insurance available soon after an individual is hired—not six months or a year later—is ideal. Employers should also confirm whether treatment for alcohol and other drug problems is covered under available plans. Such practices often contribute to an employee’s ability and desire to keep a job.

Plan work-related social events sensitively and carefully

Employers should keep in mind that some employees do not drink alcohol. To ensure that all employees feel comfortable, non-alcoholic drinks should always be visibly available during company-sponsored social events.

Respect confidentiality

Employers may not necessarily know who among their workforce is in recovery. If the information is known, employers must recognize and appreciate the delicate balance of wanting to help and an employee’s need and desire for privacy.