A number of new reports have concluded that American companies are finding it hard to fill skilled jobs because of the nation’s opioid problem. Addiction expert John Dyben tells KTRH that some reports say that up to half of job applicants don't even clear drug tests.
“It impacts the ability to work. If someone is using they aren’t going to pass a drug test and they are not going to get a job that requires them to be drug free,” Dyben stated.
Workplace culture expert Jim Whiddon says it’s causing employers even more problems than the simply gap between the skills required and the skills that applicants actually have.
“It’s a safety, training, and motivation issue. You don’t want to hire someone that’s having this issue,” Whiddon explained.
In fact, one study found that a West Virginia company reported half of their applicants either refused to take a mandatory pre-employment drug test, or simply failed that test.