The hidden costs of illness

Employers may be surprised to discover just how expensive poor health can be. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• It costs businesses an average of $1,300 per year for an employee who smokes.
  
• Workplace alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use costs American companies more than $100 billion each year.
  
• Job stress is estimated to cost American industry $200 to $300 billion each year.
  
• At least 100 million workdays are lost each year to low back pain, at a cost to employers of about $20 billion.

Source: The Wellness Councils of America http://www.welcoa.org