Drug Testing Programs

A drug testing program should not be implemented without first establishing written policies and procedures. The most common type of workplace drug testing is Pre-Employment Testing. Courts have consistently upheld the legality of requiring a pre-employment drug test as a condition of employment. It is best practice for employers to obtain a written consent and to clearly indicate that drug testing is a requirement for employment. If a company includes testing for current employees, then the employer should include training and education for supervisors and employees, as well as guidelines for discipline in the event of a positive test. Employee drug testing commonly includes Random Testing of all employees, but particularly those involved in safety-sensitive job positions. Also, individuals who exhibit signs and symptoms of drug or alcohol abuse should be subject to Reasonable Suspicion/Cause Testing. This kind of testing requires trained supervisors who can recognize the signs and symptoms and document this behavior before testing the employee. Another type of employee testing is Post Accident Testing. This type of testing is done when an employee’s actions cannot be discounted from having caused an accident. Companies regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) are required to do all of the above types of testing. Each of these types of testing is legally sensitive, therefore an employer should have a well thought out program in place before starting to test. In most cases, employers have no problem at all in testing employees and candidates for employment.

How is the testing conducted?

Most drug testing is done by sending an applicant or an employee to a collection site, where a urine sample is obtained and sent to a SAMHSA certified laboratory for analysis. Negative results are normally available within 24 hours. Positive screening results must have a confirmation test with GCMS technology and are normally released in 48-72 hours. There are instant test kits on the market. These can be used quite easily in the workplace as a quick and cost-effective way to test. Although these tests are considered accurate for immediate screening, in the event of a non-negative test result, it is highly recommended that the urine specimen be sent to a SAMHSA certified laboratory for a confirmation test with GCMS technology.

What drugs are tested for?

Many employers utilize a standard five-panel test for drugs of abuse consisting of Marijuana (THC), Cocaine, PCP (Phencyclidine), Opiates (such as codeine, morphine, and heroin) and Amphetamines (including methamphetamine). This is the test panel which is required for DOT regulated employers. Some private sector employers use a ten-panel test, which includes prescription drugs that are legal to possess and use, but can also can be abused if obtained illegally. Employers can also test for alcohol. The most common method of testing for alcohol is a Breath Alcohol Test. Although each drug and person is different, most drugs will stay in the person’s system for just a few days. For chronic users of certain drugs, such marijuana, results can be detected for up to 14 days, and sometimes much longer. Most employers will instruct a job applicant to give the urine sample within a specific period of time, so that a drug user does not wait until the drugs have left their system before taking the drug test. Collection sites have trained collectors that observe the urine specimen for signs of tampering (such as a specimen smelling like bleach or not being the correct temperature). Laboratories are able to test the urine sample for adulterants that may have been added to the urine in order to mask the drug metabolite present in the urine. The Laboratory would report this result as an adulterated specimen, and in most cases this result would have the same employee consequences as a positive test result.

What happens if there is a positive or abnormal test result?

Testing laboratories have extensive procedures to screen and confirm urine specimen test results before reporting these results to employers. Most drug testing programs also utilize the services of an independent physician called a Medical Review Officer (MRO) to review all test results reported from the Laboratory before these results are reported to the employer. In the case of a positive result, the MRO will contact the employee to determine if there is a medical explanation for the positive results. For example, the person could be taking a prescription drug which contains codeine (opiate). The MRO would confirm this prescription use with the prescribing physician or pharmacy, and then report the result as a negative for illegal drug use to the employer. If the positive laboratory test result is verified as positive by the MRO, then the employee could be given the opportunity to have the split sample of the original specimen sent to another SAMHSA certified Laboratory for a retest. Urine samples for all positive tests are retained for that purpose. Merely taking a new test is not helpful since the drugs may have left the system. Reputable and certified laboratories will stand behind their results and provide expert witnesses, although, the chances of a false positive is practically nil. If a current employee tests positive, then the employer must follow the written policies and procedures they have put into place. Some employers will utilize an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which can arrange for professional assessment and treatment recommendations. All drug-testing results should be maintained on a confidential basis separate from an employees' personnel file.

What is the Benefit/Cost to an Employer?

Substance Abuse Testing Programs can be set up with a minimal amount of effort by the employer. Firms that operate from a single location can be set up by HMTS with a local clinic for collections. For firms with multiple locations, or who have applicants from various areas, HMTS can set up collection locations throughout the United States to allow for testing at locations convenient to the job applicant or employee. Most employers find that a drug-testing program will eliminate employees with drug or alcohol use problems and people who would not make good applicants. Drug tests costs for employers include collection of the sample, laboratory analysis, services of a Medial Review Officer (MRO), and communication of the results in the manner most convenient to the employer. These costs often depend on the volume of an employer’s testing and can be discussed with an HMTS representative. Compared to the cost of even one employee with a substance abuse problem, most firms find eliminating the problem in the first place is well worth the time and money involved in a drug-testing program. Too, there are many studies that indicate that if a company does not drug test, then drug abusers will apply at those companies in much higher numbers than with companies that do pre-employment testing and random testing. This of course leads to a substance abuse problem in the workplace and all the related issues discussed above.