SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SMALL BUSINESSES

Twenty-five percent of small businesses have had problems such as absenteeism and accidents because of employee substance abuse, according to a recent survey by The Kessler Exchange.

Of the 503 small-business owners surveyed, 19 percent said they had suffered from absenteeism, 11 percent from decreased productivity, 10 percent from accidents, and 8 percent from theft.

Among the 23 percent of employers who said they had encountered abuse among their employees, alcohol was the leading substance cited (79 percent), followed by illegal drugs (47 percent).