Drug testing can provide you as an employer with important information and help you find the best candidates for a job if you use it in conjunction with a thorough background check. However, it is important to understand the changing landscape surrounding drug testing and use laws. Urine tests are still very reliable. They are considered the gold standard for drug testing in most applications and contexts. Employers are responsible for creating a written policy on the application and maintenance of a “drug-free workplace” that provides legal protection for employers and employees. The policy must be available to employees at all times. Private employers can conduct drug testing after providing a copy of their policy and making a conditional offer of employment. Public employers cannot take tests for public safety positions or if required by law. Employers can only conduct drug testing after making a conditional offer of employment and only for safety-related positions. Employers must announce that a drug test is required. A clear statement that your offer is conditional on passing a pre-hire drug test gives a potential employer the right to withdraw an offer if you fail the test. In addition to pre-employment drug testing, some employers also require applicants to agree to a random drug test after hiring if they suspect that applicants are using substances on or off duty if substance use could affect workplace safety and job performance. A blood test is used to draw blood to determine how much drugs and alcohol are in the system.
In general, blood tests for pre-stop drug testing are used to find illegal substances. The most common drugs examined in a blood test are: The increasing availability of cannabis, both recreational and medical, means that some employers must recalculate how they interpret positive tests that show marijuana. With 37 states providing legal medical marijuana and 20 legalizing recreational use, this is a factor you can`t overlook. If you are notified by a medical examiner that your drug test was positive, you have 72 hours to request a new test. You can make this request orally or in writing. If you request a new test of the original sample or split sample, the confirmatory test is triggered. You will have to pay the cost of the recovery test and you need to be prepared for it. After ordering a drug test, the applicant or employee will receive an email asking for consent to the test.
In this form, the applicant is asked to approve the administration of drug testing. If an employer conducts workplace drug testing in a manner that violates the privacy of its employees, the employer may face a privacy breach lawsuit. For example, if an employee or applicant is forced to undress in front of others while taking a pre-employment drug test or a drug test, the employee may have grounds to prosecute. By implementing a comprehensive drug-free workplace program, employers create a healthier, safer and more productive environment for employees. Take the time to educate employees about the dangers of workplace intoxication and general drug and alcohol abuse. Encourage employees struggling with drug or alcohol abuse to seek help. Through these steps, you help ensure that the community and business are safe spaces. For example, if an applicant is prescribed opioids for a covered disability, they can sue if an offer of employment is withdrawn based on the test results.
Applicants should have the opportunity to explain or challenge drug test results when they are used for adverse career decisions. With so many states (37 at last count) legalizing medical and/or recreational marijuana, the pros and cons of drug or alcohol test applicants have become a hot topic. Marijuana accounts for nearly half of all positive drug test results. If you request a repeat test in time, the medical investigator will send a written notice to the laboratory to forward the portion of the initial sample or the fractional sample. The time and date of your request for reconsideration will be communicated by the MRO to the company, and the MRO will also indicate whether the retest confirmed the positive result. Test centers organize their schedules in such a way that people can never predict when their test group will be called. While you have the right to request a retest at your own expense if you fail a pre-employment drug test at your own expense, as described above, you are not allowed to repeat a drug test prior to employment. If you dispute the results instead, your original sample will be tested again. You will not be asked to submit a new sample. The ADA in no way prohibits employers from pursuing drug-free work policies, or from providing special protection to people who currently use illicit drugs. However, it is illegal for employers to discriminate against alcoholics and drug addicts who are already seeking treatment for their addiction. Some centers also have websites or SMS and email notifications to let a person know that a particular day is their test day.
If an employer secretly tests a candidate without the applicant`s knowledge or consent, the employer may face serious legal difficulties. For example, an employer cannot pick up stray pieces of hair that a candidate accidentally left on a chair during the interview and test them for drugs unless the applicant knows the employer is doing so. Urinalysis tells employers if an employee has recently used drugs. For employers who conduct drug testing under the federal mandate, urinalysis is the only approved method and is often chosen by unregulated and regulated employers. The chain of custody of the candidate`s sample is followed from the time of collection to the analysis and disposal of the sample. Candidates will receive a form to bring to the test site as well as a valid photo ID. When a court orders a person to undergo random drug testing, it usually gives them a choice of several centres based on location and accessibility. The court will determine how often and for how long the person should be tested (e.g. one drug test per week for six months), but to randomize the process, the courts will not tell the person how often the test will take place.
