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Drink absenteeism costs UK 2 billion

Published:  23 July, 2008

Four out of ten employers say that alcohol misuse is a major reason for workers taking days off, costing British industry 2 billion a year.

A survey of 500 organisations by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that 14 million days a week are lost through employees taking days off work after drinking.

Clare McNeil of Addaction, the drug and alcohol treatment charity, said: "Many people with a drug or alcohol dependency can hold down a job, but they may not realise the extent of their problems."

Almost a third of the organisations surveyed said they had dismissed employees in the last two years as a result of alcohol problems.

22% of organisations questioned test their workers for alcohol or drug misuse.

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