The Department of Labor (DOL) works to design and implement programs and policies that address substance use disorders, including opioid-related issues, which are a public health issue that impacts America’s workforce.

The Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) conducts research on programs and policies that address issues at the intersection of substance use disorders and employment, producing evidence to help individuals and their families coping with substance use, employers, and the broader research community, identify best practices in the substance use-workplace nexus.

Explore CEO's current studies and completed reports on substance use disorder and work.

Completed Reports

Factors Associated with Opioid Use Among U.S. Workers 
(January 2022)

National Health Emergency Demonstration Grants to Address the Opioid Crisis: Implementation Evaluation 
(December 2021)

Workers’ Compensation and the Opioid Epidemic: Analysis and Research Design Options
(August 2020)

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy. CEO’s research development process includes extensive technical review at the design, data collection and analysis stage, including: external contractor review and OMB review and approval of data collection methods and instruments per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to ensure studies adhere to the highest ethical standards, review by academic peers (e.g., Technical Working Groups), and inputs from relevant DOL agency and program officials and CEO technical staff. Final reports undergo an additional independent expert technical review and a review for Section 508 compliance prior to publication. The resulting reports represent findings from this independent research and do not represent DOL positions or policies.