COMMENTARY
Lawmakers should realize business is not the enemy

By Jim Tollefson

In today's world, businesses do not succeed on the backs of their employees or at the expense of workers' health and well-being. Quite the contrary; positive, healthy, productive employees are an organization's greatest asset.

Virtually all business owners in Hawai'i desire to have a healthy, drug-free workforce, and many support and nurture their employees' positive lifestyle choices in innovative ways.

Now along comes another bill that takes a sledgehammer approach to force businesses into being good corporate citizens. HB2003 and SB3233, the drug-abuse bills, propose mandatory employer-paid substance-abuse training for employees and require that drug and alcohol treatment be given "parity" with other injuries and illnesses on employers' health insurance plans.

Mandating that employers provide drug education and parity coverage for substance abuse is a bad idea. Hawai'i's business community is overburdened with costly, regulatory mandates and this one is onerous, unnecessary, and just simply poor public policy.

The proposals ignore the fact that many employers have taken steps and/or have implemented programs to deal with workplace drug abuse, including: corporate donations and sponsorship for the documentary "Ice: Hawai'i's Crystal Meth Epidemic" (the Public Health Fund of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i granted $15,000 to this endeavor); employee assistance programs; counseling for employees and their family members; and strict workplace drug policies.

The one-size-fits-all approach of these bills could, in fact, undermine other successful efforts to maintain drug-free workplaces. In the end, this could cause private employers to be more selective in hiring so drug users would be less able to find work. It could harm rather than help workers.

Once again, here is an instance in which lawmakers did not involve the business community or consult us in discussions about measures that will affect us. We were not asked our opinion or given an opportunity to suggest alternatives.

Employers know that having a drug-free work environment is good business. We do not need the threat of civil liability to tell us how to do business or to accomplish this end. By working with the business community instead of threatening more liability and imposing more costly regulations, this issue can be addressed in a manner that is fair and effective for all.

We have stated many times our desire to partner with government and other parties to resolve issues, to work collaboratively, build consensus, and come to common resolution on problems that affect us all. Business is not the enemy. Successful business leads to jobs, which leads to a healthy economy, and this is good for all. When will our lawmakers realize this?

Jim Tollefson is president of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i.