The owner of a Los Angeles cafe says that he makes a point of hiring people in addiction recovery because they make good employees, the Los Angeles Times reported June 21.

"Someone who is in recovery has a real gratitude for the opportunity they have to be part of the world and to be part of something, because for so long they may not have been part of anything," said Jon Esformes, owner of Westwood Country Market and Cafe. "It was that kind of excitement that I wanted in this restaurant as part of our team."

Esformes -- himself a recovering alcoholic -- cited the enthusiasm, integrity, and willingness to take instruction and criticism, of employees in recovery -- some of which they may have learned in 12-step programs.

Currently, 10 of Esformes' 15 employees are in recovery. Employers can't ask job applicants about their health problems, but some volunteer the information.

Experts say it is crucial for people in recovery to have the opportunity to rejoin the workforce. "While treatment is a marvelous thing, if the treated individual doesn't acquire gainful employment, the likely success of the treatment would decline," said Scott Robertson, administrator for Glendale Adventist Alcohol and Drug Services.

Alex Shohet, manager of 12 Angels, an investor's group in Southern California, also is in recovery. He said he was impressed by the number of entrepreneurs he met in 12-Step meetings and treatment, and wanted a way to tap into that talent. Shohet now runs training programs and offers free consulting to businesses that hire people in recovery.

Hiring people in recovery is not without risks, said Shohet. Relapse is common, especially during the first year of sobriety, and employees will occasionally need time off to attend support meetings and other appointments. But Esformes says: "When I balance the exuberance that someone [newly sober] brings to the job and to the client's table, you know it would have to be a much higher cost to me to offset that. I get paid back tenfold."