An Overview of Occupational Alcoholism Issues for the 80's
The past decade has been a period of learning and experimentation in occupational alcoholism and employee assistance programming (EAPs). Assumptions regarding the essential ingredients for such program's sponsorship and principal targets, changed during this period. The professionalization of the U.S. work force is thought to require further modification of EAP casefinding. Future EAPs are expected to place less emphasis on supervisory confrontation than on broader types of casefinding. Early identification, prior to a decline in job performance, is anticipated. Employee involvement, attention to poly-drug addiction, family disruption, employee education, and the need for drug-free lifestyles are essential for future programs to succeed and labor law needs to be considered when employee organizations attempt to operate EAPs. EAP consortia are seen as a method of reaching the bulk of the work force. Start-up capital and uniform insurance coverage are unsolved problems for consortia.