NPR

Now Hiring: A Company Offers Drug Treatment And A Job To Addicted Applicants

Like many employers, Belden couldn't find enough workers for its Indiana factory. So it started a first-of-its-kind program which pays for drug treatment to job applicants failing drug tests.
An employer in Indiana is piloting a program that offers a path to employment after failing a drug test.

It's hard enough for employers to find workers to fill open jobs these days, but on top of it, many prospective hires are failing drug tests.

The Belden electric wire factory in Richmond, Ind., is taking a novel approach to both problems: It now offers drug treatment, paid for by the company, to job applicants who fail the drug screen. Those who complete treatment are also promised a job.

The pilot program, launched in February, is believed to be the first of its kind, and is an acknowledgement of both the severity of the drug problem, and the difficulty of finding qualified

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