Utah enacted Senate Bill 98 (2026), which authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in consultation with the Department of Workforce Services (DWS), to establish a voluntary Recovery Ready Workplace certification program.
Participation is optional, and the law does not require employers to seek certification or adopt new workplace practices unless they choose to participate. If DHHS establishes the program, the department must create an application process and certification criteria.
This update applies broadly to Utah employers, and the law took effect on May 6, 2026.
What Employers Need to Do
- No immediate action is required by law for employers that choose not to participate, because the program is voluntary.
- Monitor DHHS rulemaking and implementation steps for any certification standards, application procedures, or program guidance.
- Review wellness, substance use, and employee assistance practices to determine whether existing programs align with possible recovery-supportive standards.
- Consider whether workforce education, stigma-reduction efforts, and access to treatment or recovery resources could support participation if the certification program is launched.
- Track future funding or administrative developments, because the statute contemplates program administration only if implemented by the department and supported through available resources.
Overview
The participation is optional and dependent on:
- Employer choice
- State funding
- Agency rulemaking
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services is authorized to:
- Establish certification criteria.
- Create an employer application and approval process.
Certification standards may include:
- Employee education on substance use disorders.
- Workplace stigma‑reduction initiatives
- Access to treatment and recovery resources
- Policies supporting health, wellness, and work–life balance.
The law allows certain state funds, if appropriate, to support program administration.
The definition of “employer” includes organizations with one or more employees, regardless of size or industry.
Why This Matters
This law matters because Utah has authorized a voluntary Recovery Ready Workplace certification framework, signaling state support for recovery-supportive workplace practices.
For employers, participation is optional, but the program may still be relevant for organizations that want to align wellness, employee assistance, or recovery-support efforts with future state-recognized standards.
Key Risks for Employers
- No direct legal compliance risk for nonparticipation, because the statute does not require employers to seek certification.
- Program-readiness risk if an employer publicly promotes itself as recovery-supportive without aligning with eventual state criteria.
- Operational risk for participating employers if policies or practices do not match future DHHS certification standards once issued.
- Expectation risk if employers assume the program is already fully operational before DHHS completes implementation steps.
Source References
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