EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENING
Drug and alcohol testing in the workplace is fast becoming a fact of life for many employers. Although the drug testing practice was initially adopted by the Fortune 500 companies, pre-employment drug screening is gaining increasing acceptance in all sizes of businesses looking to keep their workplaces safe and their costs down.
According to numbers cited by the U.S. Department of Labor, drug use in the workplace is extremely costly to employers taking into account lost time, absenteeism, accidents and on the job injuries, health care, and workers’ compensation claims each year. For example, sixty-five percent of job-related accidents are due to alcohol or drugs. Substance abusers within the workforce are six times more likely to file a worker’s compensation claim, and they use 16 times as many healthcare benefits.You Need To Know – Positive drug tests in the U.S. workforce rose to highest level in a decade. According to an analysis of 11 million drug tests released by Quest Diagnostics, the number of employees who receive positive drug results in the workplace has steadily increased over the last three years to reach the highest level in 10 years.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) show that substance using employees are more likely to:
According to numbers cited by the U.S. Department of Labor, drug use in the workplace is extremely costly to employers taking into account lost time, absenteeism, accidents and on the job injuries, health care, and workers’ compensation claims each year. For example, sixty-five percent of job-related accidents are due to alcohol or drugs. Substance abusers within the workforce are six times more likely to file a worker’s compensation claim, and they use 16 times as many healthcare benefits.You Need To Know – Positive drug tests in the U.S. workforce rose to highest level in a decade. According to an analysis of 11 million drug tests released by Quest Diagnostics, the number of employees who receive positive drug results in the workplace has steadily increased over the last three years to reach the highest level in 10 years.
The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) show that substance using employees are more likely to:
EMPLOYERS' EXPERIENCES
Employers who have implemented drug-free workplace programs have shared these experiences:
Drug-free environments lead to increased morale and productivity, along with decreased accidents, turnover, absenteeism, and theft.
Employers with long-standing programs report better health status among employees and family members and decreased use of medical benefits.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Reports Finds Small Businesses Employ More Drug Users but Drug Test Less
Although small businesses are particularly vulnerable to drug use and substance abuse, they tend to screen applicants less than larger businesses. With a little less than half of all U.S. workers working for small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees, drug screening in the workplace is not just an important issue for large businesses.
Studies have found the impact of employee substance use and abuse is a problem that affects the entire workplace. For example, co-worker attitudes and performance are affected by drug use. Co-workers of the substance-using employee may be injured, or may have to work harder to make-up work as a result of a fellow employee’s drug use.
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) finds more than half of employers favor drug and alcohol testing.
Drug-free environments lead to increased morale and productivity, along with decreased accidents, turnover, absenteeism, and theft.
Employers with long-standing programs report better health status among employees and family members and decreased use of medical benefits.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Reports Finds Small Businesses Employ More Drug Users but Drug Test Less
Although small businesses are particularly vulnerable to drug use and substance abuse, they tend to screen applicants less than larger businesses. With a little less than half of all U.S. workers working for small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees, drug screening in the workplace is not just an important issue for large businesses.
Studies have found the impact of employee substance use and abuse is a problem that affects the entire workplace. For example, co-worker attitudes and performance are affected by drug use. Co-workers of the substance-using employee may be injured, or may have to work harder to make-up work as a result of a fellow employee’s drug use.
SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) finds more than half of employers favor drug and alcohol testing.
COST BENEFIT OF DRUG SCREENING
Pre-employment drug screening programs can be set up with minimal amount of effort. Firms that operate from a single location can usually turn to a local medical clinic for tests. For firms with multiple locations or who have applicants from various areas, programs can be setup through background companies or drug testing agencies to allow testing at locations convenient to the job applicant throughout the United States.
Most employers find that an alcohol and drug screening program will eliminate people with problems, but no good applicants. Most firms find eliminating the problem in the first place is well worth the time and money involved in a pre-employment drug screening program.
STUDIES SHOW DRUGS IN WORKPLACE COST EMPLOYERS BILLIONS
The cost of substance abuse is staggering. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs costs the U.S. more than $700 Billion annually due to lower productivity, work-related crime, and health care. Specifically, illicit drugs cost the national $193 Billion overall.
Most employers find that an alcohol and drug screening program will eliminate people with problems, but no good applicants. Most firms find eliminating the problem in the first place is well worth the time and money involved in a pre-employment drug screening program.
STUDIES SHOW DRUGS IN WORKPLACE COST EMPLOYERS BILLIONS
The cost of substance abuse is staggering. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs costs the U.S. more than $700 Billion annually due to lower productivity, work-related crime, and health care. Specifically, illicit drugs cost the national $193 Billion overall.
THE ABC'S OF DRUG TESTING
DO I NEED TO TEST MY EMPLOYEES?
Although pre-employment drug screening laws vary from state to state, in some cases, from county to county, only a handful of employers are mandated by law to screen their employees for illicit substances. The majority of these employers are in the transportation industry or other regulated industries with significant safety issues and they know the regulatory requirements for their industry. For the remainder of companies not bound by federal guidelines, the decision as to whether or not to drug test is up to the employer subjected to the type of legal limitations.
Many positions pose considerable risk to property, personnel or the public. In these instances, drug or alcohol testing is often considered to be a necessary measure for preventing or mitigating potential mishaps.
MANDATORY SCREENING
Employers are legally required to screen employees for drugs and alcohol in certain cases; for example, truck drivers or regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and must be tested if they drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of over 26,001 pounds or if the vehicle is designed to transport 16 or more passengers or hazardous materials. Testing requirements exist for workers in other regulated and safety sensitive industries such as aviation, rail, transit, maritime and pipeline industries.
Another example centers on employers who must follow mandatory rules for a Drug Free Workplace. That applies to employers who do business with the federal government and have contracts in excess of a set minimum dollar amount.
RECOMMENDED SCREENING
Employers not legally required to test for drugs and alcohol sometimes choose to require the procedure anyway, especially employers with workers in particular safety-sensitive positions, such as any employees who:
Works closely with children, the elderly, the ill or the disabled Has extensive unsupervised contact with the public Is required to operate a vehicle or heavy machinery Works in or has access to private residences and businesses Handles money or valuables Has access to weapons, drugs or dangerous substances Works in a supervisory position
PRE-EMPLOYMENT AND POST-EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENING
Pre-employment drug screening is the most common test used by employers. Courts have consistently upheld the legality of requiring a drug test as a condition of being considered for employment. Employers should consult their attorneys concerning any legal issues involved with drug testing in a particular jurisdiction.
Many employers utilize a single drug screen to satisfy their requirement for demonstrating due diligence. For the most part, this is true. Screening a job applicant once prior to making a hiring decision does demonstrate that efforts have been made to prevent individuals with substance abuse problems from entering the workplace. However, employees’ lives do not change past the moment of hire. Factors in any employee’s life can change at a moment’s notice and bad habits develop quickly. A drug test administered to a new hire on the way in is accurate only up to the moment that specimen was produced. The decision to screen should be made considering all employees, not just candidates for the job.
SPECIAL NOTE – If an employer determines that an alcohol and drug screening program is necessary, then screening should be implemented universally in order to avoid problems with discrimination.
Although pre-employment drug screening laws vary from state to state, in some cases, from county to county, only a handful of employers are mandated by law to screen their employees for illicit substances. The majority of these employers are in the transportation industry or other regulated industries with significant safety issues and they know the regulatory requirements for their industry. For the remainder of companies not bound by federal guidelines, the decision as to whether or not to drug test is up to the employer subjected to the type of legal limitations.
Many positions pose considerable risk to property, personnel or the public. In these instances, drug or alcohol testing is often considered to be a necessary measure for preventing or mitigating potential mishaps.
MANDATORY SCREENING
Employers are legally required to screen employees for drugs and alcohol in certain cases; for example, truck drivers or regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and must be tested if they drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of over 26,001 pounds or if the vehicle is designed to transport 16 or more passengers or hazardous materials. Testing requirements exist for workers in other regulated and safety sensitive industries such as aviation, rail, transit, maritime and pipeline industries.
Another example centers on employers who must follow mandatory rules for a Drug Free Workplace. That applies to employers who do business with the federal government and have contracts in excess of a set minimum dollar amount.
RECOMMENDED SCREENING
Employers not legally required to test for drugs and alcohol sometimes choose to require the procedure anyway, especially employers with workers in particular safety-sensitive positions, such as any employees who:
Works closely with children, the elderly, the ill or the disabled Has extensive unsupervised contact with the public Is required to operate a vehicle or heavy machinery Works in or has access to private residences and businesses Handles money or valuables Has access to weapons, drugs or dangerous substances Works in a supervisory position
PRE-EMPLOYMENT AND POST-EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENING
Pre-employment drug screening is the most common test used by employers. Courts have consistently upheld the legality of requiring a drug test as a condition of being considered for employment. Employers should consult their attorneys concerning any legal issues involved with drug testing in a particular jurisdiction.
Many employers utilize a single drug screen to satisfy their requirement for demonstrating due diligence. For the most part, this is true. Screening a job applicant once prior to making a hiring decision does demonstrate that efforts have been made to prevent individuals with substance abuse problems from entering the workplace. However, employees’ lives do not change past the moment of hire. Factors in any employee’s life can change at a moment’s notice and bad habits develop quickly. A drug test administered to a new hire on the way in is accurate only up to the moment that specimen was produced. The decision to screen should be made considering all employees, not just candidates for the job.
SPECIAL NOTE – If an employer determines that an alcohol and drug screening program is necessary, then screening should be implemented universally in order to avoid problems with discrimination.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Most drug testing is done by sending an applicant to a collection site, where a urine sample is obtained and sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. Negative results are normally available within 24 hours.
Prior to hire, express written consent should be obtained for pre-employment drug screening. When doing post-hire drug screening, the consent is often covered in the form of workplace rules and policies. Therefore, it is imperative for any firm intending to conduct post-accident testing or probable-cause testing to have written policies and procedures in place before attempting to conduct post-hire drug tests. When done through a background firm it is probably covered by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Prior to hire, express written consent should be obtained for pre-employment drug screening. When doing post-hire drug screening, the consent is often covered in the form of workplace rules and policies. Therefore, it is imperative for any firm intending to conduct post-accident testing or probable-cause testing to have written policies and procedures in place before attempting to conduct post-hire drug tests. When done through a background firm it is probably covered by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
