Move Over Bob, Construction Is for Girls!
Originally Posted: | Nov 20, 2025
Move Over Bob, Construction Is for Girls!
The toolbelt generation just may be made up of women, especially if women like Kate Glantz and Angie Cacace continue to build they way they are—and they’re building something great. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that just 1 in 10 construction workers are women, and Glantz and Cacace hope to change that in an unexpected way—through story telling.
While Glantz’s own story began “in a construction family,” it took many chapters to get to where she is today. Similarly, Cacace took a unique and unexpected turn into construction, but despite their differing starts, today they share the same title: business founder and entrepreneur.
Their business? Move Over Bob, a website and print magazine—now available online and throughout Arizona Public Schools—inspiring the next generation of women to consider a career in the skilled trades with lots of local resources and powerful stories from women in the construction industry.
While Glantz did indeed grow up in a construction-focused family, she says, “It was never presented to me as a viable career path.” So, she attended college at the University of Michigan and worked for close to 15 years across the private and public sectors building programs to advance economic security for women and under-resourced populations.
Then in January 2024, she took on a pre-apprenticeship program in carpentry and welding, where she met her business partner and now close friend, Angie Cacace.
Cacace’s story started in Maryland and wound its way into the construction industry when she took it upon herself to renovate her own home. That project ended up winning This Old House Magazine’s 2015 Reader Kitchen Remodel of the Year. Cacace says, “The editor at the time encouraged me to pursue it professionally, so I enrolled in a building technologies program at my local community college.” After completing the program, she went on to launch her own remodeling company, A. Marie Design Build, in 2017.
During that building technologies program, Cacace noticed something curious—half of the students enrolled were women. This got her thinking—and posting. “I went home and made a status on my Facebook saying: ‘Fun fact, half the people in my construction class are women #moveoverbob’ to which the response was overwhelmingly supportive and I knew that I was onto something.”
What started on Facebook moved to Instagram. “The more I connected with women,” says Cacace, “the more I felt inspired.” This collection of Facebook friends and Instagram DMs piled up, and Cacace didn’t want those connections to just sit there. That prompted her to launch a website in 2020—with the same name as the hashtag that got the ball rolling—for interviews and stories about the inspiring women that she had met from all over the world.
“It started as a passion project for several years while I focused on running my own construction company,” she says. “I always had big dreams for what it could become, and it was clear the industry was starting to recognize the value of sharing tradeswomen’s stories. But when I met Kate, I finally saw that it was the right time and that together, we could bring its full potential to life.”
The pair found each other on another social media platform—LinkedIn. Glantz says, “Angie and I were connected on LinkedIn by her childhood friend who I had met in a professional capacity in Washington, D.C. Despite having very different upbringings and careers, we are united in our vision and obsession for making the trades more accessible to women.”
Cacace was eager to add Glantz to her network: “Move Over Bob is larger than me and I desperately needed someone else to share in my vision for where it could go.”
Together, the two women built Move Over Bob, leaning on each other in the process—although they weren’t without their doubts.
Glantz says, “Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, so my greatest support tends to come from others in my shoes or a few steps ahead. Doubts are healthy because they keep you on your toes and ready for anything, especially when the very corners you’re trying to see around are ones you’re building in real time. What I never doubt is my integrity, my ability to bring talented, passionate people together and my partnership with Angie.”
They draw inspiration from the women they interview, too. Today, the website and magazine features nearly 100 profiles on powerful women in construction. Cacace says, “Every one of the women featured on MoveOverBob.com has helped shape my journey. Their willingness to connect and share their personal stories is the reason this company exists.”
What makes Move Over Bob stand apart from other women-focused construction recruitment programs—of which there will never be enough—is its timing and its medium. It’s a universal truth that teens are perpetually glued to their smartphones—which have access to the internet. So, a website makes the most sense when it comes to reach and accessibility. However, Cacace says, “The internet isn’t always the most effective way to cut through the noise and actually reach teens. Construction pathways are also deeply tied to local resources and connections, so a magazine felt like the best way to package an introduction to the trades and meet students where they are most of the day: at school.”
Another important factor is Move Over Bob is that it’s physically printed, which provides educators, counselors and administrators with a tangible tool to help guide young people toward construction careers. “Encouraging trades pathways isn’t something most of them are familiar with,” says Cacace. “So, the magazine serves as both inspiration and a practical resource, helping young women see what’s possible while also showing schools and companies how to support their participation.”
Glantz adds: “We’re focused on meeting them at an earlier stage in their life—when their dreams are still forming and before they’ve made decisions about their future. A magazine also creates a lasting resource students can return to as they explore their options.”
If Glantz and Cacace weren’t the founders of the magazine, their own stories would make for great feature pieces—proving that anyone can come from anywhere and find a fulfilling career in construction anyway.
Find more information on Move Over Bob here and on social media: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok.
9 in 10 Construction Workers in 24 States Are Not Union Members
Originally Posted: ABC National / February 25, 2026
ABC: 9 in 10 Construction Workers in 24 States Are Not Union Members
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25—Associated Builders and Contractors today released an analysis of state union membership data published by unionstats.com, which found that at least 90% of construction workers in 24 states did not belong to a union in 2025. Overall, there were a record 9 million nonunion construction workers compared to 995,000 union members last year, according to a Feb. 18 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Year after year, data at the national and state level continue to show the supermajority of construction companies choose an employment relationship in a merit-based culture, which is the best way to attract talent and the most productive means to deliver long-lasting, high-quality projects at affordable prices,” said Kristen Swearingen, ABC vice president of government affairs.
“Discriminatory, union-only rules are especially unfair and unworkable in the dozen states where nonunion workers comprise more than 95% of the workforce,” said Swearingen. “Employee choice whether or not to affiliate with unions creates immense value in the marketplace, which is why ABC will continue to oppose government-mandated project labor agreement policies and advocate for freedom for all construction workers to choose how to achieve their career dreams and prosper in a safe and healthy environment.
“ABC urges state policymakers, as well as the Trump administration and Congress, to advance policies that level the playing field, preserve worker choice and address the issues that the construction industry faces, including a worker shortage of 349,000 in 2026, economic uncertainty, immigration policy, inflation and high interest rates,” said Swearingen.
Visit abc.org/economics for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index, plus analysis of spending, employment, job openings and the Producer Price Index.
Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 with 67 chapters and more than 23,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC helps members offer a robust employee value proposition, develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.
Nearly 9 Out of 10 of US Construction Workers Are Not Union Members
Originally Posted: ABC National / February 18, 2026
ABC: Nearly 9 Out of 10 of US Construction Workers Are Not Union Members
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18—According to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025 Union Members Summary released today, 11.1% of U.S. construction industry workers belong to a union, an increase from 10.3% in 2024, versus 88.9% who do not.
The BLS reported that 995,000 construction industry workers were members of a union, while 8 million chose to pursue their careers in merit-based construction in 2025. The construction industry grew to 9 million workers in 2025.
“Merit shop construction employment reached an all-time high in 2025. This demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of construction workers prefer to work in an environment where they can pursue their individual professional goals by acquiring new skills through industry-driven multiskilling and advance their careers based on merit and their desires,” said ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman. “Furthermore, the supermajority of construction companies choose this employment relationship as they deem a merit-based culture the best way to attract talent and the most productive means to deliver long-lasting, high-quality projects at affordable prices.
“Preserving this choice is imperative as the industry builds out America’s infrastructure and military as well as communities across the country. One way President Donald Trump can give the contracting community immediate regulatory relief and preserve this freedom of choice is by eliminating former President Joe Biden’s harmful, union-only-project labor agreement policies,” said Bellaman. “Eliminating PLA mandates would save taxpayers an estimated $10 billion per year on federal and federally assisted construction projects simply by creating a fair and open competitive landscape where 100% of the industry can participate.
“The industry is facing a workforce shortage of 349,000 in 2026, in addition to other major headwinds,” said Bellaman. “These include an aging and retiring workforce, immigration enforcement, high materials prices, tariffs, office vacancies and rapidly evolving technologies and innovation. Now is the time for the Trump administration to level the playing field in a way that creates more value for taxpayers through healthy competition for construction projects based on merit.”
Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 with 67 chapters and more than 23,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC helps members offer a robust employee value proposition, develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.
ABC to Host National Construction Trade Championships and Management Competition in Salt Lake City on March 19
Originally Posted: ABC National / February 19, 2026
ABC to Host National Construction Trade Championships and Management Competition in Salt Lake City on March 19
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19—In one month, more than 200 of the country’s top construction professionals in trades like carpentry, drywall, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and welding will compete at the premier skilled trades contest in Salt Lake City at Associated Builders and Contractors’ 37th annual National Craft Championships.
NCC highlights lifelong learning in construction, drawing the country’s most talented craft professionals to show the importance of craft education.
ABC’s annual Construction Management Competition will also take place on March 19. Here, 31 teams of students from colleges and universities with leading construction management programs will put their project management skills to the test by completing the same real-life construction project.
WHAT: 2026 National Craft Championships, a construction trades competition, and 2026 Construction Management Competition, for competing university and college teams, during ABC Convention 2026. View video highlights and images from the 2025 NCC competition, and video highlights and images from the 2025 CMC competition.
WHO: More than 200 of the nation’s best construction craft professionals and 32 teams of construction management students from colleges and universities.
WHEN: Thursday, March 19, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. MT
WHERE: Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 West South Temple St., Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
WHY: At NCC, craft students and apprentices from across the country demonstrate their superior skills and safe work practices and compete for top honors. The NCC features 15 competitions with skills on display in 11 crafts. The NCC also featured a team commercial competition with journey-level craft professionals from different trades working to complete a joint project. The competition includes a two-hour online exam and a six-hour practical performance test.
CMC gives the nation’s top construction management students a glimpse into the real world of construction, as well as an opportunity to showcase their talents and provide them valuable, resume-building experience. In addition to creating a significant learning opportunity, the competition fosters an environment that will bring out the best in each team, encourages dialogue among the students, builds team spirit and heightens problem-solving skills as students rise to meet this challenge.
ABC’s all-of-the-above approach to workforce development has produced a network of ABC chapters across the country that offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management education programs—including more than 450 government-registered apprenticeship programs across 20 different occupations—to build the people who build America. ABC’s National Student Chapter Network, which connects local ABC chapters to colleges and universities with construction management degree programs, grew to 65 in 2025.
REGISTRATION: Members of the press must register by emailing Erika Walter, ABC’s director of media relations, by Tuesday, March 17. Media is invited to attend the competitions on March 19 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. local time. ABC Convention 2026 is by invitation only.
How Dominic DiSisto Lit Up a Career Path at J-Town
Originally Posted: The Academies of Louisville
How Dominic DiSisto Lit Up a Career Path at J-Town
The Pathway Pull
Dominic wasn’t a student who stumbled into his career by accident. Even as a freshman, he had a clear vision for his future.
“I moved on to J-Town in the ninth grade. My mom [Natisha Estep] just started working for JCPS at the time, so we were talking about what school I wanted to go to,” Dominic recalls. “I said I definitely wanna pursue some sort of engineering route. I knew that young, so J-Town was that school.”
His mother, Natisha Estep—a Data Management Research Technician for JCPS—remembers that decisive moment well. “He chose J-Town. He said, ‘Mom, the electrical pathway that they offer, the engineering pathway, that’s where I wanna go.’ Letting him make that choice was excellent.”
Once inside the school, Dominic found his niche. Known by his teachers and peers as the “robotics guy,” he spent his high school years immersed in the electrical components of every project.
“I just remember him being always into every project we do with robotics,” says Jason Stepp, Dominic’s engineering teacher at J-Town. “He loved getting into the electrical work, taking things apart, figuring out what was wrong, and troubleshooting. We could always depend on him.”
The Transition: Choosing the Trade
Despite his clear talent for engineering, Dominic’s path to the field wasn’t a straight line. Like many high-achieving students, he initially felt the pressure to pursue a traditional four-year degree.
“After that, I went to JCTC and I realized college wasn’t for me,” Dominic admits. “I found an apprenticeship program and joined the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). It was probably the best choice overall—moving to something more hands-on every day.”
The transition wasn’t without its growing pains. Natisha admits that, as a parent, the shift away from a desk job was a hurdle. “Unfortunately, we wasted some of his time and money forcing him into a college pathway. He just looked at me after struggling at JCTC and said, ‘Mom, I just wanna be an electrician. Will you just let me be an electrician?’”
Natisha’s perspective shifted as she saw her son’s passion translate into professional maturity. “No parent wants to think, ‘My son wants to dig holes.’ You want them behind a desk. But not everybody is made to sit behind a desk. The minute he jumped in, he was happy doing what he loved.”
Dominic’s career quickly gained momentum. Through his ABC apprenticeship, he began working for Relco Electric, who paid for half of his schooling. He later moved to Volt Electrical, where his horizons broadened from low-voltage work to high-voltage industrial systems—the very skills that would eventually take him to the roof of Ford Field.
The Foundation: Plywood and “The Pyramid”
While Dominic is now navigating 30-mile-a-day walks through massive stadiums, he credits his ability to handle complex motor controls and circuitry back to the lab at J-Town. To Dominic, high school provided the “bottom layer” of his professional pyramid.
“My bottom layer, my pyramid, all came from Mr. Stepp, Mr. Hermes, and McKinney,” Dominic explains. He points specifically to a project that lacked the shiny, pre-made parts of professional robotics kits: the plywood go-kart.
“We didn’t have the go-kart pieces. We built ours out of plywood and bicycle wheels, and then we put a cool little battery system for it,” Dominic says with a smile. “And it flew, man. It flew. Seeing your project work better than the stuff that’s pre-made and pre-welded? That was a motivational booster to keep going.”
“Hopefully they can take something into a field, whether it’s college or an apprenticeship, where they have some background and foundational skills,” Stepp says. “Dominic obviously took advantage of the facilities and tools we had here and ran with it.”
Full Circle
Today, Dominic is back in the halls of J-Town, not as a student, but as a success story. For Natisha, the pride comes not just from the lights on Monday Night Football, but from the man her son has become.
“Knowing that he learned skills to be a good human being and a great employee here—that is even more heartwarming than seeing the lights up at Ford Field,” she says.
As Dominic reflects on his journey from a plywood bicycle to CI Engineering Solutions, the value of his pathway experience is clear. “J-Town provided me the foundation for the rest of my career by showing me camaraderie… and just the interest in doing something like this.”
For the teachers at J-Town, seeing a student like Dominic return is the ultimate validation. “We get surprised sometimes,” Stepp concludes. “When a kid like Dominic comes back and shows you all the cool stuff they’re doing…out there making it.”
Labor Unions Are Chipping Away at Worker Freedoms One Bill at a Time
Originally Posted: RealClearMarkets | October 13, 2025
Labor Unions Are Chipping Away at Worker Freedoms One Bill at a Time
Big labor unions have been running the same playbook for years. They muscle their way into a workplace, misrepresent the facts and themselves, make empty promises to workers, and try to silence dissenters. Then, when they lose, they cry foul. Here in Alabama, we’ve seen this play out before: at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance and the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer. In both cases, workers rejected unionization, but the unions refused to take “no” for an answer – appealing endlessly to Washington bureaucrats at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to harass job creators. Now the big labor unions are trying a new legislative approach that employs many of the same old tactics.
At last week’s Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on labor law reform, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien presented what he claimed is a new approach for the big labor union – eschewing monster labor “reform” legislation for smaller individual bills. Make no mistake, this approach represents the same old tactics, and it still bends the control curve away from workers and toward labor bosses.
The reality is that O’Brien proposes nothing new. For years, union leaders have pushed massive bills in Congress like the PRO Act, stuffed with every item on their wish list — eliminating secret ballot elections, ending right-to-work protections, forcing employers into gag orders called “neutrality agreements,” and empowering the NLRB to overturn elections when workers vote “no.” Congress and the American people rejected those ideas because they undermine worker freedom, tip the scales toward union bosses, and hurt small businesses.
Now, the big labor unions are trading in their “wish-list bill” approach for a piecemeal strategy. The end game remains, however – to pressure workers into forfeiting their rights and workplace freedoms.
The so-called Faster Labor Contracts Act is one of the first steps in this new tactical departure. The legislation would force employers to begin bargaining with a new union in just ten days. If the two parties don’t reach an agreement in 90 days, the government forces mediation. One month after that, the matter goes to binding arbitration, meaning an outside arbitrator will dictate wages, benefits, and workplace rules for years to come.
That’s not worker freedom. It’s top-down federal control. Americans recognize proposals like this for what they are: a Washington power grab. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey released just two weeks ago found that 90% of voters oppose government-mandated union contracts without worker approval. That’s about as close to unanimity as you’ll ever get in American politics.
The American economy works best when workers are free to make their own choices and employers can negotiate in good faith without artificial deadlines or government-imposed contracts. Washington should not be stepping in to silence employers, rush negotiations, or override workers’ priorities.
Sean O’Brien’s testimony this week shows what big labor’s strategy really is: chip away at worker freedoms one bill at a time until they’ve accomplished through the back door what they couldn’t win through the front. This is an obvious attempt to expand union power at the expense of American workers, and I hope our elected lawmakers in Washington will reject it.
In recruiting, construction needs to pitch being a leader, not a laborer
Originally Posted: ConstructionDrive | October 7, 2025
In recruiting, construction needs to pitch being a leader, not a laborer
Boyd Worsham, president and CEO of the National Center for Construction Education and Research, a nonprofit foundation, writes that the industry should emphasize the top, not the bottom, of building’s career ladder. Opinions are the author’s own.
Ask any high schooler what a career in construction looks like, and most will picture a hard hat, a hammer and maybe a ladder or a truck. What they won’t picture is a foreman managing crews, a superintendent overseeing multimillion‑dollar projects or a business owner hiring their own teams.
That’s not because those roles don’t exist. It’s because no one told that student about them.
The construction industry talks a lot about opportunity and for good reason. These are high-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree. But we don’t always tell the whole story. Too many students hear, “be a plumber,” or “be a welder,” as if that’s the ceiling and not the first step.
Boyd Worsham Permission granted by NCCER
Here’s the truth: Construction isn’t a dead-end job. It’s one where people can build something better for themselves, their families, their futures. It’s where someone can start working with their hands and rise to lead an entire company. But students can’t choose what they don’t know exists. And right now, we’re giving them an incomplete picture.
Even with more interest in trades, a lot of young people still don’t see construction as a long-term career. Perception — not reality — is driving their decisions. It’s not because the opportunities aren’t there, but because of what they think the opportunities are. They’re working off old ideas, not real ones.
Sure, 85% of teens say trades are a good option, but only 16% plan to pursue them, according to a recent study commissioned by Stanley Black & Decker. Nearly half have never even talked to someone who works in the industry and many underestimate the salary and career potential.
This is not just a messaging issue, it’s a mindset issue. If students are only hearing about a first job, it’s no wonder they assume there’s nothing after. They can’t choose what they don’t know exists.
Tell the whole story
To change this perception problem, first we must tell the whole story. Yes, in most cases, young people enter the trades by learning a craft, but many later become supervisors, estimators, project managers, executives and even business owners. We need to stop showing just the entry point and start showing the many pathways. Craft professionals can earn promotions, start businesses and mentor others. They can build lives, not just structures.
Second, we need more meaningful conversations in schools. Career days, guest speakers and jobsite tours are a start. But what if every CTE student met three professionals: a craft professional, a superintendent and a business owner? That’s how you show progression.
Instead of just saying “construction is a good job,” we need to show how that job fits into a career. A young person might be excited by learning a skill but more will be inspired when they can see a future.
Even with the “toolbelt generation’s” interest in the field, there’s still not enough new workers to meet the surging demand. The Associated Builders and Contractors reports the industry needs nearly 439,000 additional workers this year. Filling those roles means doing more than handing out job descriptions. We need to tell stories that resonate.
Let’s stop assuming students don’t want to know more. Let’s ask: Would you like to run a job site? Manage a team? Own a company? Let’s talk about how someone gets there and who’s already done it. Construction is full of those success stories. We just have to make them visible so students can make informed choices.
And let’s not sell short the folks who want to stay in the craft. Not everyone wants to manage others or run a company and that’s okay. With industry booming across the country, we need experienced craft professionals on the ground to get the work done. From housing to highways, the country is facing a surge of building needs that can’t be met without a strong, skilled workforce at every level.
Seizing the moment
There is real optimism in the industry right now. More companies are thinking about how to treat and retain people, not just hire them. More industry associations are coming together, rather than competing. It feels like a moment of alignment, and we need to seize it by attracting more talented individuals to life-changing careers in construction.
When students see a future rather than just the first step, they engage at another level. They stay longer, work harder and eventually lead.
Construction has a powerful story to tell. It’s a story of opportunity, growth and real-world success. But until we tell the whole story, we’ll keep watching students walk away.
Let’s give them something to run toward.
The road to recovery – at work
Safety+Health Magazine • September 28, 2025
How employers can support employees who are dealing with substance use disorders
The number of people who worked full time while in recovery from a substance use disorder jumped 44% in 2020 – to 468,000 from 326,000 the year before. Add to that 274,000 workers who are part-time.
Those are the findings of a recent study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. To Greg Sizemore, vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development at Associated Builders and Contractors, they come as no surprise.
“We all must commit to creating the conditions for those struggling with substance abuse to come forward and ask for help,” Sizemore said.
As a licensed chaplain, he’s seen what happens when an overdose results in death.
“That ripple effect impacts everybody around the person,” he said. “I have seen the confusion and guilt carried by those close to the person or occurrence. Whether it happens on a construction site or at home, we cannot ignore this issue.”
Sizemore is among a growing number of advocates for recovery-friendly workplaces – also known as recovery-ready workplaces or workplace-supported recovery. Other advocates include federal agencies, states, nonprofit organizations such as the National Safety Council, labor unions, industry associations and individual employers.
The goal of a recovery-friendly workplace is to create a supportive environment for employees recovering from mental health and/or substance use challenges.
The workplace is a ‘critical setting’
“It’s clear that the workplace is a critical setting to address substance use challenges,” said Jamie Osborne, a public health analyst. “It really makes sense given how much of our time we spend at work.”
The Department of Labor says recovery-friendly workplaces adopt policies and practices that:
Expand employment opportunities for people in or seeking recovery.
Facilitate help-seeking among employees with a substance use disorder.
Ensure access to needed services, including treatment, recovery support and mutual aid.
Inform employees in recovery that they may have the right to reasonable accommodations and other protections that can help them keep their job.
Reduce the risk of substance misuse and a substance use disorder, including through education and steps to prevent injury in the workplace.
Educate all levels of the organization on substance use disorder and recovery, working to reduce stigma and misunderstanding, including by facilitating open discussion on the topic.
Ensure prospective and current employees understand that the employer is recovery-ready and familiar with relevant policies and resources.
“How I think of it is bringing substance-use issues out of the shadows,” said Samantha Lewandowski, senior director of the New Hampshire Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative.
If a workplace is recovery-friendly, that worker can proactively come forward and start the process of getting into a recovery program.
“If that culture isn’t in place, you make it so that person can’t come forward,” she said. “Ultimately, that’s more dangerous.”
Where to start
To Sizemore, safety professionals who want to play a role in their organization becoming a recovery-friendly workplace must have one specific trait: tenacity.
“You can’t quit just because it’s hard,” he said. “In the world of safety, we think about the things that are the lagging indications. We’re asked to investigate why it occurred. We have to go at this with that same tenacity.”
Whether an organization chooses to follow any number of available resources, the decision is a positive one, said Claire Bryant, senior program manager of workplace safety programs at NSC.
“There’s no wrong step here,” said Bryant, who encourages “having the conversation and doing anything you can do.”
That can include providing accommodations for workers to attend recovery programs; conducting anti-stigma education or toolbox talks; having peer advocates onsite; conducting supervisor training; and developing and implementing written, nonpunitive policies.
“Anybody can be part of the movement,” Lewandowski said. “There are a lot of ways we can meet businesses where they’re at. We’re connectors to peers and resources.”
Helpful resources
New Hampshire offers help connecting organizations and people via its document that features scannable QR codes.
“It’s important to remember that programs are not all-or-nothing, one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter approaches,” Osborne said. “Some policies and practices will be more feasible or more appropriate than others for different employers and workplaces, and that’s OK. Small changes can really have big impact.”
Osborne added that employers can adopt policies one or two at a time and evaluate their impact, choosing a gradual implementation.
The 2022 White House National Drug Control Strategy included supporting recovery as a key component of a long-term response to the issue. That led to the development of a federal Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit.
Last year, NSC launched its Workplace Wellbeing Hub, an expansion of its tools and resources aimed at combating overdoses in the workplace.
ABC’s Total Human Health initiative offers more free resources for employers.
In 2018, New Hampshire became the first state to launch a recovery-friendly workplace initiative. Since then, more than 25 states have followed suit.
“It’s really a collaborative movement, and we welcome anybody who wants to play a role in that,” Lewandowski said. “It’s a win-win for the employers and the employees. It helps with not only attracting talent and expanding your labor pool, but also with retaining that talent.”
Barriers and benefits
Despite the advancement of recovery-friendly efforts, a major challenge persists: the stigma surrounding substance-use challenges.
“Employers may express hesitation toward hiring people who are in recovery,” Osborne said, “but there really is evidence to combat these misunderstandings.”
A 2024 NSC survey of 500 employers and 800 workers shows that 70% of the employers and 60% of the workers believe substance use is a justifiable reason to fire an employee.
Half of the surveyed employers and 41% of the workers said substance use is a personal, moral or ethical failure.
“We definitely still have work to do,” Osborne said. “Substance use disorder is a health condition. It’s not a mark of poor character. And it’s not a form of deliberate misbehavior.”
Despite their other opinions, 86% of the employers in the NSC survey, as well as 80% of the workers, said organizations should support employees dealing with substance use. In addition, 54% of the respondents said the safety team should be involved in decision-making about stocking naloxone – an opioid-overdose reversal medication – in workplaces.
NSC makes a business case for recovery-friendly workplaces. According to a recent analysis by the nonprofit organization, an employer, on average, saves $8,500 for each worker who recovers from a substance use disorder.
Even so, overcoming biases often takes a personal approach.
“The more storytelling we can do, the more real this becomes in a workplace,” Bryant said. “It helps make the issue feel real to help employers understand that their employees are just people.”
For Sizemore, he leans on his personal experiences.
“The biggest benefit is just helping another human out,” he said. “I’ve had friends in my lifetime who struggled with addiction. I’ve lost friends over addiction. It doesn’t mean that we don’t try.”
