We are pleased to release Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit: Guidance and Resources for Private and Public Sector Employers. Developed through the efforts of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Domestic Policy Council, and 12 federal departments and independent agencies, this toolkit supports efforts in the fourth pillar of President Biden’s Unity Agenda for the Nation, beating the opioid and overdose epidemic. The toolkit also supports the implementation of President Biden’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy, which calls for National Drug Control Program Agencies to expand employment opportunities for people in recovery from substance use disorder and to promote Recovery-Ready Workplace (RRW) policies.
This toolkit provides information, tools, and resources to help employers from all sectors—government, for-profit, non-profit, and not-for-profit—effectively prevent and respond to substance misuse in the workforce, and reduce its impact on employers and on the broader community. Made available through the Recovery-Ready Workplace Resource Hub, which is hosted by the Employment and Training Administration at the United States Department of Labor, this toolkit is intended to be useful across sectors and industries. It offers employers and local or statewide RRW initiative leaders a range of resources to help them effectively address substance use in the workforce and successfully hire, onboard, and retain people who are in or seeking recovery from substance use disorder.
Substance use in the workforce is widespread. In 2021, 26.9 million Americans aged 18 or older with a substance use disorder were employed. Of these, 77.6 percent (20.9 million) were employed full-time. Employers are both especially hard-hit by substance use disorder and uniquely positioned to address it in a way that benefits not only them, but their employees, and the broader community. Untreated substance use disorder is extremely costly to employers, resulting in missed workdays, reduced productivity, unnecessary employee turnover, and increased healthcare costs. Substance use disorder can also make hiring qualified candidates challenging and can increase the risk of work-related accidents and associated liabilities. Because of this, adopting RRW policies is not simply the right thing to do—it makes good business sense.
Since the start of the Biden Administration, more than 12 million jobs have been created across the United States. We are investing in America again. We are reigniting manufacturing and other sectors and redoubling our commitment to buying American-made products. As President Biden has stated, these efforts will translate to “more people with good jobs and the dignity and security that comes with a paycheck.” We must effectively address substance misuse and addiction in the workforce in order to reach our full potential, growing our economy and building the industries of the future.
Businesses and other employers understand this. They recognize that substance use disorder is a health condition and not a moral failing or form of willful misbehavior. They also understand that, when employees fear that seeking help for a substance use problem may result in termination, discipline, loss of advancement opportunities, or other negative impacts, they will hide their condition. This exposes them, their fellow workers, and the organization to unnecessary risks and leads to problems, such as reduced productivity, increased turnover, and higher healthcare costs. As a result, many businesses and other employers seek guidance on how they might develop and implement sensible policies that address substance use disorder as a health condition and increase their return on investment.
A compilation of knowledge and resources gathered from businesses, state and local governments, the Federal Government, researchers, and other stakeholders, the RRW Toolkit will help inform efforts to implement RRW policies in the Federal Government, and can help businesses, non-profits, unions and trade associations, and state and local governments contribute to prosperity while playing a leading role in developing a recovery-ready Nation.
Julie A. Su, JD
Acting Secretary Department of Labor
Xavier Becerra
Secretary Department of Health and Human Services
Gina M. Raimondo
Secretary Department of Commerce
Rahul Gupta, MD,
MPH, MBA Director
Office of National Drug
Control Policy
Acknowledgements
President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy (Strategy) calls for the Federal Government to expand employment opportunities for people in recovery and to promote the adoption of RRW policies across private and public sector workplaces, including state, local, and federal workplaces, businesses, non-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Developed in support of the President’s Strategy, the Recovery-Ready Workplace (RRW) Toolkit and the RRW Resource Hub are the products of a collaborative effort undertaken through a federal interagency workgroup (IWG) co-convened by ONDCP and DPC. The expertise and contributions of IWG members were indispensable in the development of both resources. By hosting the RRW Resource Hub, the Employment and Training Administration at the United States Department of Labor is further supporting this effort.
A listing and description of the departments and agencies that participated in the development of the toolkit and the Recovery-Ready Workplace Resource Hub is located in Appendix 13.