Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
EEOC Disability-Related Resources - Links to diverse resources for a range of stakeholders, including employers.
Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the ADA - Clarifies the rights and responsibilities of employers and individuals with disabilities regarding reasonable accommodation and undue hardship.
How Health Care Providers Can Help Current and Former Patients Who Have Used Opioids Stay Employed - Guidance for health care providers.
Mental Health Conditions: Resources for Job Seekers, Employees, and Employers - Information on applicable anti-discrimination laws for people with or in recovery from mental health or substance use disorders.
Use of Codeine, Oxycodone, and Other Opioids: Information for Employees - Information on applicable laws and how they apply n specific cases.
Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Memorandum to Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies: Changing Federal Terminology Regarding Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders - Guidance provided by the Director of National Drug Control Policy (January 9, 2017).
Recovery-Ready Workplace (RRW) Metric Framework – The RRW Metric Framework is intended to assist states, and local governments, and organizations leading multi-employer RRW efforts in evaluating the impact of multi-employer RRW initiatives and to help individual employers assess the impact of RRW policy implementation. It is presented as a logic model that identifies activities, outputs, outcomes, and challenges. The document includes a descriptive narrative and a slide show.
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Rural Community Action Assembly: Recovery-Friendly Workplaces for Workforce Development - This webinar is for rural economic or workforce development corporations, rural chambers of commerce, nonprofits working with low- and moderate-income communities, and other rural or countywide decision makers who wanted to learn more about inclusive workforce models. Slides available.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Rural Community Action Guide and Promising Practices Supplement - The guide aims to educate the public by providing an overview of the key challenges rural communities face when addressing the consequences of prescription opioid misuse and the use of illicit substances. The supplement details selected promising practices.
Rural Community Health Toolkit - Provides rural communities with the information, resources, and materials they need to develop a community health program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Integrating Employment Services with Substance Use Treatment and Recovery: The Experiences of Five Programs - This report documents the experiences of five programs that integrate employment services into treatment and recovery programs for people with substance use disorder.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HHS/CDC)
CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard: A tool designed to help employers assess whether they have implemented evidence-based health promotion interventions or strategies in their worksites to improve the health and well-being of their employees.
National Center for Injury Prevention & Control (NCIPC)
Linking People with Opioid Use Disorder to Medication Treatment provides guidance and resources employers, families, and allies may find useful.
Polysubstance Use Facts provides an overview of polysubstance use, which is when two or more substances are taken together or within a short time period, either intentionally or unintentionally. Includes information on risks associated with various forms of polysubstance use.
Preventing Opioid Overdose provide links to information on preventing overdose, overdose reversal, treatment, improving opioid prescribing. Also explains how to recognize an opioid overdose.
Treatment of Substance Use Disorders provides information on SUD, treatment options, stigma, and more.
Recovery Is Possible provides information on opioid use disorder, its treatment, and recovery from it. Part of the RX Awareness Campaign.
CDC's RX Awareness Campaign tells the stories of people whose lives were impacted by prescription opioids. The goals of the campaign are to increase awareness that prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous, to reinforce that help is available for those suffering from an opioid use disorder, and to encourage those struggling with prescription opioids to visit the campaign website to locate help and resources.
Stigma reduction resources from CDC include:
- Real Stories from Real People: Overcoming Addiction – Videos and written narratives by people sharing their stories.
- Stigma Reduction – Information and resources on the impact of drugs on the brain, treatment, recovery, and stigma.
Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) is an interactive page providing basic information on SUD. Includes a quiz and a video as well as links to relevant resources.
What You Need to Know About Treatment and Recovery is a two-page information sheet that could be shared with employees or used in the context of a workplace substance use literacy program. Part of the RX Awareness Campaign.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (HHS/CDC/NIOSH)
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (MAT) – Provides an overview of MAT, the use of medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat OUD.
Substance Use and Work provides general information for employers.
Cannabis Use and Workers offers a framework for addressing workers' safety, health, and well-being related to cannabis, in light of rapidly changing laws and public attitudes.
NIOSH Quality of Worklife Questionnaire: Developed as a module of the General Social Survey, this questionnaire could be adapted to gather useful organization in a specific workplace.
NIOSH Total Worker Health® Program (TWHP): NIOSH defines this program as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness-prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. WSRP is a TWHP component.
NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ) provides an integrated assessment of worker well-being across multiple spheres, including individuals' quality of working life, circumstances outside of work, and physical and mental health status.
Using Naloxone to Reverse Opioid Overdose in the Workplace: Information for Employers and Workers includes guidance on setting up a workplace naloxone program.
Workplace Supported Recovery from Substance Use Disorders: Defining the Construct, Developing a Model, and Proposing an Agenda for Future Research – This peer-reviewed article provides an overview of substance use disorder recovery for occupational health professionals, proposes a working definition of workplace supported recovery, offers a conceptual model showing how workplaces may impact SUD recovery, and suggests future research topics.
Workplace Supported Recovery Program (WSRP): This program provides resources to employers seeking to implement policies to prevent substance misuse, reduce stigma, and encourage recovery. WSRP policies are recovery-ready workplace policies.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH/NIDA)
Addressing the Stigma that Surrounds Addiction - Blog post from National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow.
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction provides an overview of this topic for non-experts.
Perspective: Stigma and the Toll of Addiction, Nora Volkow, MD, New England Journal of Medicine - Perspective article in peer-reviewed journal.
Words Matter - Terms to Use and Avoid When Talking About Addiction - Guidance on language and stigma from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health (HHS/NIH/NIMH)
About the Worker Training Program (WTP) - WTP provides grants to nonprofit organizations, including labor-based health and safety organizations and academic institutions, so they can deliver training to a variety of workers who may face a hazardous work environment.
Initiatives to Prevent Opioid Misuse and Promote Recovery Friendly Workplace Programs - Compendium of various approaches including state-, company- and union-led efforts.
Opioids & Substance Use: Workplace Prevention & Response - Diverse resources for employees and employers.
Recovery Friendly Workplace Landscape Review – A 2023 report summarizing the results from a nationwide survey conducted to identify RFW program resources and to capture key characteristics.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health (HHS/NIH/NIMH)
Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders provides an overview of this topic and information on treatment options.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (HHS/SAMHSA)
2020 SAMHSA Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support Grant Notice of Funding Availability - 2020 federal grant notice.
Assess Your Workplace provides information on how to conduct a workplace needs assessment. From the Drug-Free Workplace Toolkit.
Creating a Healthier Life: A Step-By-Step Guide to Wellness is a comprehensive guide to improving individual wellness.
Drug-Free Workplace Programs - Information on the Drug-Free Workplace Program.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Prescription Drug Toolkit and Fact Sheets - These provide guidance related to counseling, referrals, and follow-up services (e.g., alternatives to prescription drugs, workplace drug misuse and relapse prevention, dangers of combined drug use, screenings, and evaluations before returning to work).
Model Plan for a Comprehensive Drug-Free Workplace Program - Updated (June 2022) model plan guidance document for employers.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health – An annual national survey on alcohol and other drug use and mental health conditions in the U.S. population that includes a Key Findings Report, Detailed Tables, State Estimates, and Substate Estimates.
Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment Methods: Information on workplace assessment approaches from the Drug-Free Workplace Toolkit
Recovery-Friendly Workplace Toolkit - (SAMHSA Peer Center of Excellence)
SAMHSA Advisory: Integrating Vocational Services into Substance Use Disorder Treatment - Guidance for substance use disorder treatment providers and other stakeholders.
SAMHSA's 2010 Working Definition of Recovery defines recovery as a process and identifies four dimensions and 10 principles of recovery.
Substance Use Disorders Recovery with a Focus on Employment and Education - Evidence-based resource guide for diverse stakeholders.
Transforming Lives Through Supported Employment (SE) Program - Information on a SAMHSA grant program and the projects undertaken by grantees.
What Individuals in Recovery Need to Know About Wellness is a brief resource employees in recovery may find of value.
Workplace Prevention Basics: A guide for employers to identify and prevent opioid and other substance misuse in the workplace - Guidance for employers.
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJ/CRD)
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Opioid Crisis: Combating Discrimination Against People in Treatment or Recovery - Fact sheet with useful information for employees and employers.
U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DOJ/DEA)
Operation Prevention Workplace Module Guide - Guide to utilizing DEA Operation Prevention workplace modules, which can be found at Operation Prevention.
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (DOJ/OJP)
A Resource for Change: The Role of Peer Recovery Support Specialists in Reentry Programs - Article from The Council of State Governments Justice Center, staff from the Erie County (NY) Jails Co-occurring Enhancement
Reentry and Recovery: Employment Matters - This publication released through the Department of Justice’s COSSAP initiative discusses the critical importance of employment to successful recovery and reentry.
Using Supported Employment to Help People with Behavioral Health Needs Reentering Communities - This brief, made available by the National Reentry Resource Center, highlights four ways that reentry and community supervision programs can use supported employment services to prepare people with behavioral health needs for successful reentry.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (Labor/ETA)
Growth Opportunities Grant Program - Grants to nonprofit organizations, local and regional government entities, federally recognized Indian and Tribal governments, and independent school districts to support employment for youth and young adults most impacted by community violence, particularly in areas of concentrated crime and poverty as well as communities that have recently experienced significant unrest. Businesses and unions can be partners in these grants, serving as employers.
Job Accommodations for Individuals in Recovery - Hosted by the Office of Workforce Investment and presented by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), this Workforce GPS webinar provides information on how to use JAN services and a breakdown of ADA concepts, including what is an accommodation, how individuals meet the definition of disability under the ADA, and how individuals may disclose and ask for modifications in the workplace. Materials include slides, transcript, and executive summary.
National Health Emergency (NHE) Grants: Case Studies - Video interviews with several grantees from the National Health Emergency Demonstration Grants and National Health Emergency Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grants.
Opioid Crisis Strategies and DOL Research - Information on approaches for addressing the opioid crisis in the employment context.
Recovery Friendly Workplaces - New Hampshire Model – Online information about the New Hampshire Recovery-Friendly Workplace initiative.
Recovery Ready Workplace Resource Hub: Expanding Employment Opportunities for People in Recovery. This Workforce GPS webinar provides an overview of federal policy priorities related to substance use disorder (SUD) and recovery in workplace and will familiarize participants with the Recovery Ready Workplace (RRW) Hub. Materials include slides, transcript, and executive summary
Summer 2022 Workforce System Opioid Webinar Series - Four interactive webinars on serving individuals with opioid addiction and other substance use disorder for workforce professionals at local, state, and federal level, and their partner agencies.
The Federal Bonding Program - The U.S. Department of Labor established The Federal Bonding Program in 1966 to provide Fidelity Bonds for “at-risk,” hard-to-place job seekers. The bonds protect the employer against losses caused by the fraudulent or dishonest acts of the bonded employee for the first six months of employment at no cost to the job applicant or the employer. Eligible groups include, but are not limited to, people in recovery from substance use disorder, justice-involved citizens, economically disadvantaged youth and adults who lack work histories, and individuals with a dishonorable discharge from the military.
The Opioid Crisis in the Construction Industry - Webinar on the opioid crisis in the construction industry.
The Role of the Workforce System in Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Resource Guide - Guidance for National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant recipients and other stakeholders.
The Role of the Workforce System in Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Review of the Literature - Provides a summary of the evidence on: (1) effective and promising practices for providing employment services to people with opioid use disorder; (2) employer best practices for preventing negative effects of opioid use disorder in the workplace and creating recovery-friendly workplaces; and (3) key considerations for developing the health care workforce that is addressing the opioid crisis.
Training and Employment Notice No. 2-21 - Information for states and local areas on the role of the public workforce system in addressing the adverse impacts of opioid and other drug use disorders.
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) - The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit available to employers who invest in American job seekers who have consistently faced barriers to employment. Employers may meet their business needs and claim a tax credit if they hire an individual who is in a WOTC targeted group. There are numerous targeted groups, including people with felony convictions, but not including people in recovery.
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
Guided Group Discovery: Participant Workbook and Facilitator Guide - Guided group discovery is a process that helps lay a foundation for competitive integrated employment. For some people, guided group discovery leads to customized employment. For everyone, the process can help to identify opportunities that would be a good fit for them and potential employers.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) – JAN is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on job accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and disability employment issues for employers and individuals. JAN provides free one-on-one practical guidance and technical assistance on job accommodation solutions, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related legislation, and self-employment and entrepreneurship options for people with disabilities
Measuring Race and Ethnicity in IPS Programs - This brief reviews research on access and effectiveness of IPS for historically underserved groups and suggests a standardized template for states to track race and ethnicity in IPS programs.
Roadmap to Inclusive Career Pathways - An interactive online roadmap that provides workforce professionals with resources to help people with disabilities achieve employment and economic self-sufficiency.
Self-Guided Discovery Facilitator's Guide - Self-guided discovery is a set of strategies that can benefit any job seeker who faces barriers to employment. This guide reports best practices and lessons learned from three state teams that implemented self-guided discovery strategies to help job seekers with disabilities take the next step forward in their careers.
State-level Barriers and Facilitators to Individual Placement Support (IPS) Implementation - This issue brief uses findings from a 2019 national survey of state mental health and vocational rehabilitation (VR) leaders to help state leaders identify common barriers and facilitators to implementing IPS supported employment and strategies.
The ADA and IPS-Supported Employment: Improving the Working Lives of People with Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders - This webinar discusses the definition of disability under the ADA and its application to substance use disorders and recovery. Additionally, the webinar dives into the IPS employment model and how it is effectively used for people with mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
Substance use Disorder Resources for Federal Contractors and Workers - Information on protections under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and related topics
U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
Employer Guide to Hiring Veterans – Provides information about service member and veteran demographics, information on federal, state and other resources to facilitate veteran employment, and offers recommendations for attracting, training, and retaining veterans.
Regional Veterans' Employment Coordinator (RVEC) – Directory for employers
Veterans Employment Toolkit – An online resource to help employers, managers and supervisors, human resource professionals, and employee assistance program (EAP) providers relate to and support their employees who are Veterans and members of the Reserve and National Guard.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VA/VHA)
Compensated Work Therapy Program - Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) is a Department of Veterans Affairs clinical vocational rehabilitation program that provides evidence based and evidence informed vocational rehabilitation services; partnerships with business, industry and government agencies to provide Veteran candidates for employment and Veteran labor, and employment supports to Veterans and employers. CWT programs are located within all VA medical centers. A list of CWT programs by state or territory can be found here.
Veterans Employment Toolkit - This toolkit provides a variety of outside resources for employers, managers or supervisors, and human resource professionals.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) – Information for employers on resources and benefits associated with hiring veterans.