Skip to Navigation

The Alcohol Cost Calculator:
A Customized Report for Your 1,000 Employees in United States

Industry

Problem drinking, including alcoholism, can strike anyone employed by your company. This calculator estimates how many employees and their family members have alcohol problems and how many still need treatment

For the Mining/Construction Industry:

Number of Employees: 1,000
Likely number of people with an alcohol problem in your workforce:
The federal government estimates that 9.1 percent of employed Americans 18 years of age and older have experienced serious problems, including alcoholism, as a result of their drinking. The prevalence varies by industry sector. The average prevalence of alcohol problems among workers in the Mining/Construction sector is 7.3 percent.
128
Likely number of the 1,610 employees’ family members who have an alcohol problem:
Problem drinking has a profound impact on the family. Among families where alcohol problems are present, more than half of working family members report that their own ability to function at work suffers because of their relative’s drinking. Identifying and treating the alcohol problems of employees' family members can increase productivity and curb health care costs.
124

How Do Untreated Alcohol Problems Affect
Productivity and Health Care Costs?

When left untreated, alcohol problems among employees increase absenteeism, reduce productivity and make it more difficult for coworkers to do their jobs. One survey found that 20 percent of workers say they have been injured, had to cover for a coworker, or needed to work harder because of other employees' drinking. Untreated alcohol problems also increase health care costs among employees and their family members.

The impact and cost of untreated alcohol problems extend far beyond the workplace.

Likely number of excess work days lost to sickness, injury and absence because of alcohol problems per month:
Hangovers and alcohol-related health problems affect employee attendance. People with drinking problems say they call in sick or skip work thirty percent more than workers who don't have an alcohol problem. They also are more likely to be late for work or to leave early.
66
Cost of excess lost days per year: 792
Likely alcohol-related health care costs
People with alcohol problems seek emergency room attention 25 percent more often than people without substance use disorders. Their families use more health care, too. Alcohol problems are the primary or secondary cause of many serious medical conditions, including heart and liver disease and cancer. Alcohol problems also contribute to many unintentional injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes, burns and falls. In addition, it can interfere with medications used to treat many health problems.
$44,365
Excess Emergency Room Visits (worker + family) at $1,192/visit 37
Excess Days in the Hospital (worker + family) at $5,306/day 13 fewer days
−$71,585
Emergency Department and Hospital Costs
While individuals with alcohol problems report lower hospital costs than people without alcohol problems, it is interesting to note that there are significant differences in utilization and costs within this population. Workers with alcohol dependence (alcoholism) are responsible for annual excess hospital costs of $500 each, while workers with alcohol abuse have hospital costs that are $636 less than other individuals.
−$27,220