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The Best Selling Drug Tests of 2020
Many employers are now required by federal and state laws to drug test job applicants and existing employees. Other institutions such as rehab centers, prisons, etc. can also order drug tests. On some occasions, parents and schools may also want to conduct drug tests. Some drug tests are designed to detect just one substance while others can detect a variety of substances in one testing.
Here in this post, we will take a look at the five best selling drug tests of 2020.
NICDetect Oral Cotinine Test
NICDetect is an oral-fluid cotinine (an alkaloid found in tobacco) rapid test that provides results with outstanding accuracy in under 10 minutes.
A lab test for tobacco or nicotine typically involves a 24-48 hours long waiting period. With oral swab based NICDetect, however, you can collect specimens anywhere at any time and get instant results. Administering the test is quite easy; you just have to follow some simple instructions.
With 30 ng/ml cutoff, this 1-panel rapid tobacco/nicotine test enables you to identify habitual or daily users of tobacco or nicotine while successfully eliminating cases that involve light-use of tobacco or nicotine.
People who test cigars occasionally, for instance, won’t test positive with this rapid oral test for tobacco/nicotine.
NICDetect Oral Cotinine Test is often used in the life insurance industry for risk assessment. Organizations operating in the wellness and occupational health sectors also rely on NICDetect for pre-employment testing of candidates to ensure tobacco-free workplaces.
Besides cessation programs, parents and schools also use this quick and convenient nicotine test to detect routine use of tobacco or nicotine.
Ten Panel InstaCube Saliva Drug Test with Indicator
This 10-panel saliva drug test can detect up to 10 drugs including Amphetamine, Barbiturates, Buprenorphine, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Opiates, Oxycodone, Phencyclidine, and THC (Marijuana) in just one test.
Designed for forensic use, the Ten Panel InstaCube Saliva Drug Test is difficult to adulterate and offers good accuracy; testing can be observed directly by the drug test administrator and it is extremely hard for anyone to adulterate the oral fluid (saliva) sample.
You can photocopy saliva drug test results. This way, it is easy to review and send the results for subsequent confirmation, if necessary.
Since drug test administrators can simply collect human saliva, it is one of the least invasive drug testing methods. Since there is no requirement of a restroom, a saliva drug test can be performed at any location at any time.
Sixteen Panel PreScreen Plus Mega Cup (FUO) Drug Test
One of the best selling drug tests for employee pre-screening today, the 16-Panel PreScreen Plus Mega Cup (FUO) with Adulterants can detect up to 16 different drugs in one testing.
The drugs that can be detected by this urine drug test include Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Buprenorphine, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine, Ethyl Glucuronide, Fentanyl, K2(50) /Synthetic Cannabinoids / K2 / Spice, Methamphetamine, MDMA500 / Ecstasy, Methadone, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Marijuana, And Tramadol.
Organizations looking to screen job applicants or existing employees for a multitude of commonly used drugs generally prefer this 16-panel urine drug test.
The cups in these drug testing kits have specialty drugs such as Tramadol, ETG, K2 Spice, and Fentanyl; so they are an excellent choice for anyone looking to conduct zero-tolerance testing. Rehabs, too, prefer this type of drug test.
Once the urine sample has been collected, the Sixteen Panel PreScreen Plus Mega Cup (FUO) Drug Test provides the results within 5 minutes. This drug test is known to deliver up to 99% accurate results that remain stable for about an hour.
Five Panel InstaCube Saliva Drug Test
With the quick and convenient 5-Panel InstaCube Saliva Drug Test, you just need a saliva sample to get accurate test results within a few minutes.
This saliva-based drug testing method can detect five drugs including Amphetamine, Cocaine, Methamphetamines, Opiates, and THC (Marijuana). These are some of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States and several other countries around the world.
This drug testing method has been designed for quick and hassle-free photocopy. So, submitting test results (after printing them) for further confirmation is easy.
Since it uses saliva for drug testing, it is one of the less invasive drug testing methods available today. Drug testing administrators do not have to make arrangements for a restroom. Often, organizations that need a quick drug testing solution prefer 5-Panel InstaCube Saliva Drug Test over urine drug testing methods.
Since the entire process can be supervised by a drug testing administrator, there is little or no risk of saliva adulteration.
Twelve Panel PreScreen Plus Cup with Adulterants (CLIA Waived) Drug Test
A great drug testing method for use at both home and office, 12-Panel PreScreen Cup with Adulterants provides accurate results in less than 5 minutes.
This drug testing method can detect up to 12 major drugs in a urine sample in one testing.
The drugs that can be detected include Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Buprenorphine, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, MDMA500 / Ecstasy, Methadone, Morphine, Oxycodone, Phencyclidine, and THC. It can also detect oxidants, pH balance, and Specific Gravity.
The test cups can detect adulterants as well.
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Employment-Screening Options during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought several industries to a halt on an unprecedented scale.
However, many businesses need to hire new team members on an urgent basis.
They need to get new workers into their workforce quickly but also safely.
The pandemic has impacted the hiring process across industry sectors regardless of where your business is located, or the nature of business operations.
During the ongoing crisis, screening new hires or existing employees for use of alcohol and drugs, criminal background, etc. or validation of their work and education credentials is more challenging than ever due to the non-availability of information or resources.
Many public-records repositories, for example, are either close or difficult to access. So, verifying criminal and civil records, especially when you need to access county court records that aren’t available electronically, can be difficult (HR Daily).
Here in this post, we will look at various employment-screening options during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drug Tests during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Many drug-testing labs continue to provide drug testing services for employment-screening amidst the pandemic but in-person visits may be limited or unavailable in some areas.
Some applicants may also be reluctant to visit a lab due to the fear of exposure to the virus.
You need to be sensitive to such concerns but also evaluate whether the refusal to undergo an alcohol and drug test is reasonable.
When a job applicant or employee refuses a drug test, it is advisable to document the refusal.
In case your company is regulated by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), refusals on part of job applicants to undergo drug tests need to be reported to the Medical Review Officer.
The DOT had released a statement that emphasized the importance of continued drug testing during the pandemic.
You may consider sourcing drug testing kits directly from a reputed supplier and carry out mobile drug tests to address worker concerns.
Many organizations are carrying out virtual drug screening of job applicants, especially remote workers and existing employees returning to work.
Organizations looking to ramp up the business following a period of suspended or limited business activity can rely on virtual drug screening options that take less than five minutes to complete.
Oral drug tests, for instance, can be easily conducted online. Since mouth swab collection and verification of test results (reading) can be carried over video chat, you can eliminate delays that come around in scenarios where you schedule drug tests through laboratories and job applicants or employees need to travel to get tested.
In case you are planning to conduct drug screening during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic at the worksite, be sure that –
PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) are in place while conducting mouth swab or hair follicle test
Sanitation procedures are beefed up; restrooms, for instance, should be sanitized between tests if your company is conducting urine tests
III. High-touch points such as chairs, countertops, doorknobs, etc. are cleaned frequently
A freshly opened drug testing kit is used for each test
Depending upon whether you operate in one of the non-regulated industries, you may decide to temporarily forgo drug tests as part of employment screening or make a conditional offer of employment, contingent to the successful passing of the drug test.
However, keep in mind that state laws concerning the drug-testing of new hires or existing employees are still applicable.
Remember that approximately 70% of American workers are known to consume various drugs according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
Previous studies indicate that substance abuse increases during a crisis. Many leading media outlets have in recent past reported that alcohol and marijuana sales have surged.
Since the pandemic has thrown millions of lives out of gear, it is likely that drug abuse has increased over the past few months due to stress, anxiety, and fear resulting from an environment of uncertainty. Therefore, keeping up with your organization’s drug testing policy during the pandemic is crucial.
Verification of Work and Education Credentials
Verification of employment history and education credentials is likely to be difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers or supervisors at business organizations and officials at schools, colleges, universities, training institutes, etc. may be currently unavailable due to closures or preoccupied with other tasks.
Small-scale institutions and business organizations in particular may be unavailable for document verification amid the pandemic; large-scale institutions often utilize automated systems for processing such verification requests.
Since work-experience certificates, diplomas, transcripts, training certificates, etc. can be falsified easily and cannot be authenticated in all cases, it is important that hiring managers do not accept any documents furnished by candidates for education and employment verification at their face value.
Until the world returns to normalcy, it may take much longer to process employment and education verification requests, even if you work with the best employment-screening service provider in your area.
Streamlining Employment-Screening Program
How job applicants are screened depends on the type of industry and the position under consideration. In industries such as transportation, healthcare, finance, and energy, employers must meet the minimum employment-screening requirements as per the applicable regulations.
Other businesses that offer services to their clients may also be contractually obliged to conduct employment-screening.
Even if your business is neither regulated nor obligated to meet contractual screening requirements, you may still need to reasonably screen all new hires in line with prevailing industry standards.
So, when you want to streamline your employment-screening program to accelerate time-to-hire during the pandemic, be sure not to truncate it.
Try to adapt your employment-screening processes with the information and resources available in a manner that your organization fulfills all legal obligations.
Post-Employment Checks
Since it may not be possible to complete all necessary employment-screening processes right away, your organization can reserve the right to carry out additional screening ‘after’ an individual has been on-boarded.
This way, you can complete full screening post-hire when drug testing labs, courts, schools, and other sources are available.
Final Words
Employers and hiring managers need to ensure that employment offer letters are unambiguous about the status of employment-screening. You can ask candidates to self-disclose information about their criminal history and use of illicit drugs and alcohol ‘after’ a conditional offer but before they are inducted into the workforce.
Besides revising pre-adverse and adverse action letters to cover fresh hires, HR departments also need to develop processes in order to follow up with background-check service providers to complete any pending checks. In states such as California, employers may want to consider providing candidates with a revised disclosure form in line with the applicable laws and obtain authorization for the same.
Keep in mind that hiring workers without screening, as required by federal and state laws, can potentially open doors to negligent hiring lawsuits in the future. So, if you intend to loosen some of your employment-screening processes to hire new candidates without any delays, consider how such changes will affect your organization down the road before you make the final decision.
from https://drugtestsinbulk.com/blog/employment-screening-options-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ from http://drugtestsinbulk0.blogspot.com/2020/09/employment-screening-options-during.html
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Positive Drug Tests among U.S. Workers Reach Highest Level in 16 Years
The share of American workforce testing positive for the use of marijuana and other drugs shot up to a 16-year high last year before the COVID-10 pandemic threatened to potentially increase drug use further.
According to a new analysis released by Quest Diagnostics, a well-known provider of diagnostic information services worldwide, the percentage of American workers testing positive for drugs increased by 4.5% in 2019, a growth rate higher than any year since 2003.
The drug test positivity rate for the combined US workforce, based on urine drug tests, registered an increase of 28% in 2019 in comparison to the period between 2010 and 2012 when the positivity rate stood at a 30-year low of 3.5%.
In addition to an overall increase in drug test positivity rates, the report said that specific regions of the US recorded a dramatic increase in the parentage of workers testing positive for the use of methamphetamines, cocaine, and marijuana.
The Most Commonly Detected Drug in American Workers
Marijuana continues to be the most commonly detected drug in the United States (federally mandated and general US workforce) and safety-sensitive workforce. Last year, as many as 3.1% of workers tested positive for marijuana.
Drug testing methods relied upon for the analysis included urine, hair follicle, and oral fluid tests.
In the Midwest and West, the marijuana positivity rate is more than the national average. Nearly 3.3% of workers in the Midwest and 4.1% of workers in the West tested positive for Marijuana.
The marijuana positivity rate, calculated on the basis of urine drug tests, increased by 29% between 2015 and 2019 and 11% during 2019. This is the highest jump registered for any drug.
Cocaine Abuse on the Rise in Workers in the Midwest and West
Between 2015 and 2019, cocaine positivity increased among workers in the Midwest and West.
In the Midwest, 0.28% of the US general workforce tested positive for cocaine in 2019. In 2015, 0.20% of the US general workforce had tested positive for cocaine.
In the West, instances of workers testing positive for cocaine have been historically on a lower side. However, between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of the US general workforce testing positive for cocaine in the West increased from 0.15% to 0.23%.
The surge in the percentage of workers testing positive for cocaine in the West was mostly due to increasing positivity rates in Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon.
Positive Rates for Opiates and Heroin on Decline in the US
According to the Quest Diagnostics report, opiate positivity rates in urine drug tests continue to decline in the US across different opiate categories. Americans testing positive for opiates generally consume morphine or codeine.
An estimated 0.31% of the general US workforce tested positive for these opiates in 2018. The figure declined by more than 19% in 2019, with around 0.25% of workers testing positive for opiates.
There has also been a noticeable decrease in the use of prescription opiates in American workers.
Positivity rates for heroin have also declined across all US workforces.
Significant Increase Overall in Percentage of Workers Testing Positive for Drug Use
The data made available by the Quest Diagnostics Testing Index is based on over 18 million urine drug tests, conducted between 2015 and 2019. A significant increase in the percentage of workers testing positive for drug abuse was observed during this period. The retail trade industry was the worst hit.
The maximum percentage of workers testing positive for marijuana was in the accommodations and foodservice industry.
Drug Use Likely to Increase during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that more people could use alcohol and drugs to cope with isolation and stress during the pandemic.
Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health was quoted by the New York Post as saying that the ongoing pandemic has made it difficult for people struggling with drug addiction to access the much-needed treatment.
The report from the medical testing giant besides revealing the disturbing figures also suggests that the ongoing crisis can further accelerate the trend.
“Organizations will need to consider the impact of COVID-19 not only on workplace safety but also as a health concern for their employees for some time to come,” said Dr. Barry Sample, senior director of science and technology, Quest Diagnostics.
The findings discussed in the report are in line with other research. Drug-related deaths in the country, for instance, increased by 5% in 2019. Cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl were among the drugs that caused most deaths.
Drug-related deaths increased by 13% during the first few months of 2020 in comparison to the previous year, which partly happened due to the unfavorable and abrupt changes brought about by the pandemic.
Besides employee well being during the pandemic, organizations will also need to consider numerous dangers posed by workers under the influence of alcohol and drugs in the workplace.
According to the Quest report, the post-accident positivity rate in the general US workforce recorded an increase of 32% from 2015 to 2019. Between 2018 and 2019, the post-accident positivity rate increased by 8%.
Put simply, organizations cannot afford to suspend or truncate their drug testing programs during the pandemic.
Final Words
Statistics related to the type of drug abused by workers and regional trends concerning drug abuse by American workers can be ‘random and unpredictable,’ says Dr. Barry Sample.
However, the data shared by Quest Diagnostics does serve as a reminder that employers and HR leaders need to formulate and implement robust drug testing policies to keep workplaces free from the negative consequences of drug abuse.
Besides negligent hiring charges, organizations temporarily suspending their drug testing programs to accelerate recruitments may also be staring at increased employee healthcare costs, and more worker compensation claims down the road.
Therefore, during the pandemic, it is more important than ever to screen new hires and existing employees for alcohol and substance abuse.
from https://drugtestsinbulk.com/blog/positive-drug-tests-among-u-s-workers-reach-highest-level-in-16-years/ from http://drugtestsinbulk0.blogspot.com/2020/09/positive-drug-tests-among-us-workers.html
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What are N95 Face Masks and Where Do I Order N95 Face Masks From?
What Are N95 Face Mask:
N-series respirators are face masks that provide protection from liquid and solid airborne particulates that do not contain oil. Regulated and classified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) a research department at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The N classification comes in three tiers based on filtration efficiency, 95% (N95), 99% (N99), and 99.7% (N100). The NIOSH filtration efficiency certification tests and subsequent product classifications are based on small particulate tests, 0.3-micron particle size.
The N95 face mask is the most common n-series mask. Tested and designed for a tight facial fit, N95 masks are single-use disposable masks (in a clinical setting, masks should be disposed of after each patient or after aerosol procedures [the current COVID-19 face mask shortage is prompting healthcare providers to extend mask usage-durations and mask cleaning/reusing techniques]). Capable of filtering out airborne bacteria and viruses, the N95 face fitting mask is often referred to as a surgical mask and is regularly worn by health care providers.
The N95 mask is a respirator that removes 95% of 0.3 micron or larger particles that are in the air and breathed in from behind the mask. NIOSH approved N95 masks worn properly provide a close facial fit that eliminates excess air leakage (the tight fit directs air to be inhaled through the special fiber layers rather than open-air gaps along the mask edges). N95 masks are made of flat fibrous layers that filter particles via, interception, inertial impaction, diffusion, and electrostatic attraction.
Interception: Collects larger particles when the particles touch the fibers as they enter the mask layers, i.e., the particle breathed into the mask bumps into and sticks to a fiber material before it reaches the user’s mouth or nose.
Inertial impaction: Collects larger particles, particles that are too large to maneuver their way through the fibers of the mask unencumbered, i.e., the particle gets stuck in the fibers before it reaches the mouth or nose.
Diffusion: Collects small particles, particles in the air are breathed into the mask layers. While moving through the maze-esque layers of fibers the small particulates encounter competing air molecules, currents, and other particulates that redirect the small particles or stop their movement altogether. The space between the outermost and innermost layers of the N95 mask presents many obstacles, particles do not have straightforward paths to the user’s mouth or nose (particles get stuck on fibers or other molecules along the way).
Electrostatic attraction: “Opposites attract,” filter fibers and particles both possess molecular structures and molecular charges. Based on Coulomb’s law and dielectrophoretic, particles that enter the N95 mask are constantly pulled and pushed by charged filter fibers and the particle’s own molecular charge. Resulting in particles bonding with filter fibers and stopping short of the user’s mouth or nose. N95 filter fiber layers present electrostatic forces that act as a barrier to particles by interacting with those particles’ own electric charge.
While the CDC doesn’t state the general public is required to use N95 face masks, we are seeing more people routinely wearing N95 masks in public. This is causing a shortage of face masks for medical professionals by manufacturers who once intended to supply the medical sector. Most N95 face mask manufacturers are now supplying the public worldwide leading to a mass of shortages to follow.
Are There N95 Respirators Available to Purchase Online?
While all face masks are becoming more difficult to find as the coronavirus pandemic continues, DrugTestsinBulk.com offers face masks of K N95 level. N95 face mask respirators are crucial for health care workers, and they’re becoming scarcer according to USA Today. In some cases, there are even businesses that are price gouging or simply out of stock unable to meet the current demand.
While we stand behind our products and customers, DrugTestsinBulk.com offers K N95 Respirator Face Masks with a very high filtration efficiency. All our K N95 face masks are in stock (while supplies last) to customers nationwide. The DrugTestsInBulk.com website offers a variety of medical supplies for both home and medical use. Ordering your KN95 Face Masks from DrugTestsinBulk.com allows you to save on today’s best-selling face masks by buying in bulk directly from our online store without sacrificing quality and a fast turnaround time with our expedited shipping. Order a case today (10 face masks per case) for your use. Visit the official KN95 Respirator Face Mask page on our website for more information.
DrugTestsinBulk.com – Keeping You Safe, One Step at a Time!
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COVID-19 Coronavirus: What It Is, How It Spreads, What We Can Do to Help
News and statistics on the COVID-19 novel coronavirus change each day. As we enter the third month of restrictive measures and unprecedented strain on our healthcare system, we are all wondering what our future is going to look like.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19, also known as SARS-CoV-2, is a severe respiratory disease that originated in animals but jumped to humans allegedly through live animal markets in Wuhan, China. It is unclear what animal first passed the virus to humans, but there is speculation that it is connected to bats or pangolins. When a virus makes that leap, we have no defenses for it. Since it is not human in origin, our bodies have no immunity to it. Over time we might develop immunity, but at this point, it is unclear when.
Until scientists develop a vaccine or some other innovative intervention, we must follow strict guidelines to ensure it doesn’t infect more people. Most people do recover, but we are finding that deaths are not limited to the elderly or immune-compromised. It is a virulent, highly contagious strain that continues to evolve beyond what we currently have the capacity to contain.
How We Catch It
Catching COVID-19 is much easier than catching the flu or a cold. The virus remains active on surfaces for weeks, as observed by the crews who cleaned a cruise ship, previously quarantined off the coast of Japan.
As an airborne contagion, the virus lingers in the air for three hours after an infected person coughs. It can enter the body through the mouth, nose, or eyes, meaning that if you come in contact with a contaminated surface or a sick person and then touch your face, there is a pretty good chance you will get it too.
Why Instant Testing for COVID-19 is Essential
One of the most significant issues is that there appears to be a large number of asymptomatic carriers who are unwittingly passing the disease to others, probably thinking that they are doing fine.
The problem is, what we don’t know will hurt us.
As the world continues to fight the spread of COVID-19, it is essential that as many people as possible have access to tests. Currently, across the country and most of the rest of the world, we are facing concerning lab backlogs of up to seven days, a concerning shortage of tests, and tight regulations as to who has access to tests, meaning that the numbers we see likely don’t reflect the current reality.
The solutions we need are clear. We need access to accurate tests, and we need lots of them. With ready access to rapid detection kits, medical offices, and other healthcare facilities can get the answers they need quickly and recommend measures that are appropriate to each situation.
DrugTestsInBulk offers rapid antibody testing solutions for COVID-19, and assays are available for pre-order right now with delivery expected in the first week of April. These all-in-one cassettes require only a tiny amount of blood and will accurately deliver results in two-to-ten minutes. Fast results help medical teams make on-the-spot treatment and intervention decisions that will undoubtedly save lives and help us all get back to normal faster.
Reach out today to pre-order your COVID-19 Rapid Detection Test Kits.
Disclaimer: The content in this blog article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. DrugTestsInBulk.Com makes no representations or warranties and expressly disclaims any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by or effect on any person following the information in this blog post. This blog post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. For questions regarding any medical condition or if you need medical advice, please contact your appropriately trained and qualified healthcare provider
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Why Are Rapid COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Tests Important?
Rapid COVID-19 Testing will allow us to get ahead of the PANDEMIC faster.
Currently, a potential COVID-19 patient can typically go to a drive-through testing site where staff will swab their nose and throat. Those swabs are then sent to a laboratory for testing which can take 3-5 days to get results returned. Medical professionals are also running low on collection supplies.
To increase the speed of detection, Rapid COVID-19 Tests will allow us to triage patients quickly so we can get to the infected faster and provide the immediate care needed and get them quarantined quickly. We will be able to diagnose the possible presence of the virus in less than ten minutes.
Originally, DrugTestsInBulk.Com’s tests were to be used primarily by hospitals, but the FDA’s “Emergency Use Authorization” allows medical professionals and “patient care settings,” which naturally includes doctors’ offices to use the rapid tests.
Rapid COVID-19 point-of-care testing is necessary for handling pandemic diseases like coronavirus today and in the future. In addition to detecting infections, such tests will also be valuable to measure the effectiveness of antiviral drugs and vaccines against the virus. These rapid COVID-19 tests will also be a huge help and value to help us measure the success of antiviral drugs and vaccines being developed to fight the virus.
With a single drop of whole blood, our COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) rapid test will present results within ten minutes. All positive results that appear on the rapid, point of care test device should be followed up with a laboratory confirmation test.
DrugTestsInBulk.Com has partnered with its Biotech, contract manufacturing facility based in Anji, China to distribute the tests throughout the United States and even internationally.
The COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid TestCOVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette (Whole Blood/Serum/Plasma) is a solid phase immunochromatographic assay for the rapid, qualitative and differential detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to 2019 Novel Coronavirus in human whole blood, serum or plasma.
Test Features and Benefits:
Fast results as soon as 2-10 minutes
Facilitates patient treatment decisions quickly
Simple, time-saving procedure
High sensitivity and specificity
Only Small specimen needed 5 μL of serum/plasma or 10 μL of whole blood specimens
All necessary reagents provided
No equipment needed
Medical professionals should consider these rapid tests as they are going to help save lives.
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Electronic Cigarettes in the Workplace – The Growing Epidemic
Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes as they are commonly called – are handheld devices that are powered by a battery. The battery enables the device to vaporize a solution that contains nicotine. The vapor is then ingested through the mouth to the lungs in a manner that replicates smoking. If you have heard the term “vaping,” this is what is being referenced – inhaling flavored vapor. In this case, the “flavor” is nicotine-based.
They Are Nothing New
E-cigarettes have been around since the late 1990s and were first marketed internationally in 2002. There are currently over 250 different brands of e-cigarettes available in the United States with sales slowly creeping up to the $2-billion mark. But what exactly are these devices? According to the US Surgeon General, e-cigs are considered tobacco products. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in 2013 that e-cigs were safer than traditional cigarettes although some toxins are still transferred into the body through vaping.
What Can An Employer Do?
There is a lot of grey area when it comes to determining how to regulate the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace. Some major retailers have outright banned their use by employees while other big-name companies have allowed vaping in designated smoking areas. The grey area allows employers to essentially carve out their own policies and guidelines regarding e-cigarettes.
How You Do It
Here are several steps to follow should you choose to regulate the use of e-cigs at your place of business.
1 – Start With Your Current Smoking Policy
Your starting point should be to confirm that your existing smoking policy is aligned with state and federal laws. If it is not, this is the time to update it for consistency.
2 – Check The Wording of the Policy and Insurance Plans
If your smoking policy does not clearly define smoking to include such things as e-cigarettes, you may want to clarify this. Referencing nicotine products does not entirely cover this as not all e-cigs are “flavored” with nicotine.
3 – Add E-Cigarettes To Your No-Tobacco Policy
Essentially, when you include e-cigs in your existing company policy that bans smoking of any kind, you cover the bases. If your company has a mandatory drug testing policy, you may choose to include e-cigarettes and vaping of tobacco and non-tobacco products in it as well.
4 – Understand The Boundaries
It may be tempting to make a policy that completely bans any possible item or device that either creates the illusion or permits smoking of some kind. However, if you do ban everything including e-cigs where are they banned? Will you permit their use in designated smoking areas? Will they be permitted in outdoor locations that meet other state and federal smoking guidelines? Your policy has to have boundaries identifying where smoking can and cannot take place.
5 – Update Monitoring Systems
Can you identify an e-cig from a regular cigarette from a distance? If you permit one regulation for e-cigs and another for traditional cigarettes you may find monitoring of regular smoking difficult. The easy solution is to create a single policy that covers both or permit e-cig use in a different designated location than regular cigarette smoking.
6 – Provide Correct Disposal Material
If your company policy is accepting of e-cigarette smoking, it means that you will now have to provide a disposal system for the spent e-cig batteries. Bear in mind that e-cig batteries are considered electronics.
7 – Provide Advance Notice
Employees should be given no less than three months’ notice that new smoking policies will be going into effect and that they will also be addressing electronic cigarette use. You can give them six or twelve months notice, depending on the scope of the policy changes.
8 – Update Employee Handbooks
If your company issues policy handbooks to employees once you have created your new smoking policy, which will include guidelines related to e-cigs – you will have to ensure that all employee handbooks contain the new smoking policy information.
9 – Introduce A Stop Smoking Program
As part of a health and wellness component, your company can introduce a smoking cessation program to assist and support employees trying to quit smoking. You will have to decide as the program develops whether or not e-cigarettes will be considered as helping or hindering the progress of those employees trying to butt out. Your determination on that point should guide you as to either including e-cig users in the cessation program or not.
What Else Can You Do?
You can’t just make blanket changes to your company policies on smoking in the workplace without educating yourself on the pros and cons of electronic cigarettes. On the “pro” side there is a belief that e-cig use can assist those who are trying to stop smoking. However, there is little evidence to back this up. On the “con” side there are many toxins that can be consumed through vaping. This can confuse the issue of a non-smoking policy that does not include e-cigs.
As part of your education on e-cigarettes, you should also learn more about the ingredients of these handheld devices. The cartridge of “juice” – as it is commonly called – contains a mixture of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and nitrosamines. While most of these contents are commonly found in other household products, nitrosamines are carcinogens. Although there are small amounts of carcinogens in e-cigs, the danger associated with them is largely unknown.
Take Action Now Rather Than Later
No doubt vaping is not a fad about to come to an end very soon. This is why it is essential to address the use of e-cigarettes in company smoking policies now rather than putting it off until there is a workplace issue. Hopefully, we have provided you with some guidance on how to address the situation in your specific workplace setting.
Contact Us Today
To help you enforce any of your drug and alcohol policies, contact us today at DrugTestsInBulk to keep your workplace safe for you and your employees.
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Top 10 Drug Testing Tips For HR
Human Resources professionals play vital roles in any organization. With effective recruitment strategies in place, the HR department can have a positive impact on the success of any business operation. One critical tool that can assist in the selection of high-performance employees is a drug screening program.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), roughly 67% of all drug users in the United States are employed. With an effective workplace drug testing program, your HR department will be able to assist in the hiring of the best, most-talented and drug-free candidates for any position in your organization.
To aid your company with this challenge, here are the top 10 drug testing tips for HR.
1 – Know When To Conduct A Drug Test And Who To Test
There are different reasons for workplace drug testing. Pre-employment drug testing is administered to a potential new employee following a conditional offer for employment has been made. A negative result from the testing leads to employment.
A random selection from the current employee pool would be who you would conduct random drug testing upon. This process would also be at random times during a normal work cycle and would not be announced in advance.
2 – Your Needs Will Dictate What Kind of Test To Use
Your specific needs will guide you as to which drug testing method is best for your requirements. The most common workplace methods used for pre-employment or random drug testing are urine, hair, oral fluid and instant. We can help you determine which best suits your needs.
3 – Use Your Drug Tests To Screen For Commonly-Detected Drugs
The federal drug-testing program is a good framework to follow and many companies will use the guidelines from it for their workplace drug testing program. However, depending on regional patterns of drug use, employee demographics and job type you may wish to tailor your testing program to best fit these factors.
4 – Recognize The Risks of Not Conducting Drug Tests
Drug positivity in the United States continues to climb. This trend is also present in the workforce. The Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index has indicated that the percentage of drug use by employed Americans has reached a 12-year high. Cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamines lead the list of drugs of choice.
5 – Define Your Drug Testing Window
To achieve more comprehensive screening – and better results – your testing pattern has to have a definition. To do this, your company will have to determine if it is testing for recent drug use or long-term use. This will also define what drug test types, or a combination of them, will work best in these circumstances.
6 – Select Who Will Be Collecting The Drug Test Specimen
This decision will depend on the type of drug testing being conducted. Some companies prefer to collect some or all of the drug test specimens out of ease with the tests being conducted at the workplace. Many other companies opt for both the administering of the drug tests and specimen collection to take place at a nearby testing facility.
7 – Monitor and Update Your Company Drug Testing Policy Regularly
Because there are always changes taking place, it is a good business practice to keep your company drug testing policy up-to-date. It should reflect guidelines and standards that have been set out in state and federal laws. Ongoing changes regarding marijuana and the evolution of the current opioid epidemic should be addressed in an update to your drug testing policy.
8 – Provide Regular Training Programs For Your Supervisors
To keep key personnel in your organization current with any of the changes to your drug testing policy, you should review the updates with them. Also, provide supervisors training to assist them in identifying the early warning signs of substance abuse.
All management members in your organization should be documenting problems connected to performance-related issues. Training should also include information regarding employee assistance programs, health-insurance coverage plans for treatment and how to refer an employee to receive help.
9 – Be Transparent And Open About Why Your Company Conducts Drug Testing
Potential new employees should be aware of in advance that your company has mandatory pre-employment drug testing. Also, that conversation should include a notice that the only applicants who will be hired are those who have negative drug test results. Once a candidate is hired, they also should be told that with the company policy random drug testing will take place during their term of employment.
10 – Keep Up-To-Date On Drug Testing Information
The best way to stay on top of trends and changes related to drug testing programs and related activities is to continue to be educated on these items. There are several helpful resources available for you, your company and your management team. Organizations worth joining or subscribing to their regular newsletters include the following:
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
National Drug & Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA)
Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association (SAPAA)
Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA)
In Conclusion
Substance abuse has no place in the workforce. It has been proven to harm employee productivity and can slowly destroy your business from the inside out. The best way to ensure that the candidates you are hiring for positions within your company are the most productive is to implement drug testing as a condition of employment.
Your HR department can use drug testing as a tool to help narrow the selection of potential employees from a pool of qualified candidates. Pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing, while may be viewed as a negative in some circles, actually keep your workplace safe for everyone on site. With proper education, managers can refer employees who fail random drug tests to where they can receive the help they need.
Contact Us Today For Your Drug Testing Kits
For the right drug testing kit for your requirements, visit DrugTestsInBulk.com. We feature different types of drug test kits that will address your specific needs.
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Drug Screening For Human Resource Professionals
Drug tests are commonly used by employers to screen existing employees or new job applicants to determine if they are using drugs. In general terms, drug screening will identify recent use of alcohol, illicit or prescription drugs. The test results will not indicate impairment, nor will they be able to show whether or not the behavior was impacted by the alcohol or drugs identified in a person’s system.
Why Test Employees for Drugs and Or Alcohol?
Abuse of alcohol or other drugs costs US companies billions of dollars per year. These costs are incurred in one of many ways including:
– Higher turnover rate for employees
– Increased number of unexcused absences
– A reduction in productivity
– More accidents on the job
– Unexplained violent behavior
– An increase in the number of workers’ compensation claims
The National Safety Council says employees who have an alcohol or drug problem are two to five times more likely to become problem employees.
More Startling Facts
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, 70% of employed Americans abuse drugs. The National Drug-Free Workplace Alliance claims that over 74% of employed Americans use illegal drugs and are responsible for up to 40% of fatalities that occur in industrial work sites. The US Department of Justice states that half of all workplace accidents and close to 40% of employee theft results from drug abuse.
Why You Should Conduct Drug Screening
Your business requires protection from the unnecessary costs that drug abuse can bring. They include health and safety hazards, less productivity, lower staff morale and can contribute to the number of short-term disability claims filed against your business.
However, there are several other reasons why HR resources rely on drug tests. They include:
– To deter employees from abusing alcohol/drugs
– To protect the general public
– To instill consumer confidence that employees are working safely
– To provide a safe work environment
– To comply with State laws/Federal regulations
– To identify employees with alcohol/drug problems early to assist them in getting the help they need
– To avoid hiring new employees who already have an identified substance abuse problem
To learn more about how to implement a drug screening process within your company, contact www.DrugTestsInBulk.com for information.
Drug Testing Is Legal
There are different rules and regulations in many states when implementing drug testing in the workplace which is why it is so important for you to ensure your company Drug Policy is up to date and compliant. DrugTestsInBulk.Com has many resources to assist you with your Drug Policy Implementation.
The Drugs That A Typical Drug Test Will Identify
Keeping in mind that drug screening will only indicate recent use of alcohol or drugs, there are tests available that will identify one of or many different drugs.
In addition to alcohol, there are five main types of illicit drugs that can be identified through drug tests. They include:
1 – Amphetamines
These drugs are categorized as those that will provide some form of stimulus to the central nervous system. The most common of these is ecstasy, speed, crank, and meth.
2 – THC
This is one of the many compounds that come from the cannabis plant and is responsible for the ‘high’ one gets from taking products that contain it. They are marijuana, cannabinoids, and hash.
3 – Cocaine
This is another drug that is known primarily for being a stimulant. It is commonly called coke.
4 – Opiates
These are drugs that are derived from opium and include heroin, codeine, and morphine.
5 – Phencyclidine
Commonly known as Angel Dust or PCP, this is a drug that causes mind-altering effects.
The 8-Panel Test
Depending on the type of business your company conducts, you can implement a higher level of drug screening known as the 8-Panel Test. In addition to the above-mentioned drugs that it will identify, along with alcohol, the 8-Panel Test can detect recent use of:
Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, and Methaqualone.
The 10-Panel Test
For an even higher level of drug screening, there is the 10-Panel Test. It identifies all the previously-mentioned drugs and alcohol plus the following:
Methadone and Propoxyphene.
For more information on the exact type of drug screening kits you will require for your company, visit www.DrugTestsInBulk.com for details.
The Accuracy of Workplace Drug Tests
Our instant onsite drug testing devices have up to a 99% accuracy rate and can be used for immediate results. If a presumptive positive result appears, urine and saliva samples can be sent to a laboratory for further testing to ensure the most accurate results.
Urinalysis is the most commonly used drug testing method. It is also one of the easiest tests to administer as they can be done at the workplace. The process used is in accordance with the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing (known as the SAMHSA guidelines). Once a sample has been provided, it is transported to a certified laboratory. A certified lab will test for the five common substances (plus alcohol). As they are fully certified, these labs have a high level of accuracy.
Why Your Company May Add Drug Screening
There are a few reasons why you should consider drug testing. They include:
1 – Pre-Employment
This is when a potential employee with an alcohol or drug abuse problem would be identified. Not hiring this person may prevent problems later within your organization.
2 – Reasonable Suspicion
A test under this circumstance would be to follow-up on identified symptoms that may develop into a greater problem if left unchecked. This is also where you can provide assistance to the individual for the help they need.
3 – Post-Accident
If the accident was in the workplace or during a workday conducting company business, drug testing may be able to determine if alcohol or drugs may have been contributing factors to the accident.
4 – Random
This is a testing method where anyone in the workplace could end up being tested as it is unannounced. The random testing model has been proven to be a deterrent for many employees who do not wish to be caught on the job with alcohol or drugs in their system.
5 – Periodic
These are regularly scheduled tests. They are often conducted annually as part of a physical exam or similar testing cycle.
Thinking About Drug Screening In Your Organization?
Protect your business investment and the investment you have made with your employees by adding drug tests to your HR resources. Find out how by visiting www.DrugTestsInBulk.com.
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Best Instant Drug Tests in 2019
You’ve asked for an update on Instant Drug Tests to help you decide on what new products you might want to consider for your Drug Testing Program. Here it is!
Best Instant Drug Tests in 2019
Having trouble deciding on what Instant Drug Tests are the best for you? Is there anything new that might be interesting?
So many test users relied on our 2018 report on the Best Instant Drug Tests because they were looking for some guidance on what they should consider for their best approach to testing and what products were available to fit their needs.
So here is our update on the Best Instant Drug Tests in 2019.
Some Factors to Consider In Picking a Drug Test
Does your current program, or even Federal, State, or Local laws dictate how and what you test for? You may wish to review some of our earlier blogs on Employee Drug Testing. In particular, the Blog on Pre-Employment Drug Testingprovides some useful links to legal resources and requirements.
Are you only concerned with testing for the most commonly abused illicit drugs like THC, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates, and Methamphetamines or are Designer Synthetic Drugssuch as Fentanyl or Synthetic Marijuana becoming more of a concern in your area?
Once you determine which drugs you are required to test, the most commonly abused, or the most potentially hazardous in your area; find the tests that screen for those drugs.
Do you worry about only one single drug or think someone is trying to sabotage their test result in some way?
We have single drug test optionsin addition to our multi-drug tests.
You can get a drug test that includes an Adulteration Test Panelor order a separate Adulteration Panel test.
If one specific test medium is not a viable option, including possible medical reasons, there are alternate test options available, such as Hair Testing.
If Alcohol abuse is an added concern, there are both specialty testsand Alcohol test strips build into Drug Teststhat are available.
Once you’ve put together a list of your concerns, here is our list of the Best of the Best Instant Drug Tests for 2019. Be sure to check out the Comparison Table of Benefits that follows.
The Customer Preferred Drug Test
The Favorite Instant Saliva Drug Test (Ten Drugs Included)
Although Instant Urine Tests have been available for a longer time, many customers have developed a preference for Instant Saliva Drug Tests.
This Specific Best-Selling Instant Saliva Drug Test screens for the most commonly abused illicit drug groups: Amphetamines, Cocaine, Methamphetamines, Opiates, and Marijuana and additionally for Barbiturates, Buprenorphine, Benzodiazepine, Oxycodone, and PCP.
However, right behind it is a test configuration with only the 5 most commonly abused drugs and then, also the same basic test with Methadone and an Alcohol strip added. Five out of six of our InstaCube Saliva Drug Testsare part of our top 10 most popular products
Instant Saliva Drug tests have become popular because the test can be done without any special collection facilities and provide immediate results. The tester can avoid cross gender observation, witness the collection to minimize the potential for tampering with the specimen, and this particular device allows you to photocopy or take a clear picture of the test results for a company job file.
The Best Instant All-In-One Cup Drug Test
The Twelve Panel All in One PreScreen Plus Drug Test Cup (CLIA Waved)
Our customers have moved a step up from last year’s choice for Best Instant Cup, which was a Ten Drug PreScreen Cup. This year, they have chosen to purchase more of our Twelve Panel All in One PreScreen Plus Drug Test Cups by adding Buprenorphine and Oxycodone to the drug test line-up.
These test cups are FDA Cleared/CLIA Waived and have up to a 99% accuracy rate. Using this cup couldn’t be easier. Test results are available in 5 minutes. This Twelve Panel All-in-One PreScreen Plus Drug Test Cup will screen urine for Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepine, Buprenorphine, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Marijuana, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Opiates/Morphine, Oxycodone, and Phencyclidine. For those who are concerned about any client attempts to alter a specimen, the cup is also available with an additional built-in Adulteration test strip
Do you need the same great qualities in a flat-sided cup, allowing you to photocopy test results? They are available in the Twelve Panel Clear Scan Drug Test Cup (CLIA Waived)
Runner Up: Best Instant All-In-One Cup Drug Test
Twelve Panel Drug Screen Cup IV Drug Test (CLIA Waived)
Our long-term customers still clearly prefer our All in One PreScreen Plus Drug Test Cups because of the familiarity with their quality and because they come in so many drug test panel options.
However, for the budget-minded, this newcomer to our line-up of Drug Test Cups is enjoying a following from certain 12 drug testers. It is FDA Cleared/CLIA waived for Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepine, Buprenorphine, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Marijuana, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Morphine, Oxycodone, and Phencyclidine, but is available in less alternate options than our PreScreen Plus Drug Test Cups and is currently not offered with an Adulteration test panel. Still, this slightly smaller cup can be a cost-saving option for some purchasers.
The Best New Test Product
The NICDetect Oral Cotinine Test (CLIA Exempt)
Smoking causes more deaths than the combined impact of alcohol use, firearm deaths, HIV, illegal drug use, and motor vehicle accidents. And yet, surveys show that smokers notice and want to address the serious impact of the habit, with 69% of those polled wanting to quit smoking, but because nicotine is addictive, they need serious help to kick the habit. The good news is that people who successfully quit smoking can reverse the harmful health effects in the majority of cases, even starting within 48 hours of quitting. (See our Blog)
The NICDetect is an oral Cotinine Test. Since it is a saliva-based test, it is easier to administer than available urine nicotine tests. Testing for nicotine use should rely on a Cotinine test to verify true nicotine usage.
Nicotine is the basic alkaloid found in tobacco and some plants, even some isolated vegetables. Cotinine is the metabolite that comes from nicotine processing through the body’s organs. Nicotine actually processes out of the body in a matter of hours, whereas cotinine can remain in the system for up to 72 hours.So, cotinine testing helps employers accurately identify who is smoking or using nicotine products, even if the usage doesn’t happen daily. Again, Cotinine is the metabolite that comes from nicotine processing through the body’s organs. As a result, this test also ensures that second hand smoke will not play a role in creating a false positive, since cotinine tests have been formulated to detect only the level of traces that are actually due to personal tobacco or nicotine consumption.
The Best Instant Specialty Drug Test
EtG PreScreen Plus Dip Card Drug Test
There is a new test on the block designed for ETG (Ethyl Glucuronide) testing.
Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol alcohol. The presence of EtG in the urine can be used to detect recent alcohol consumption; even after the ethanol alcohol is no longer measurable. Consequently, the presence of EtG in the urine is a definitive indicator that alcohol has been ingested.
Traditional laboratory practices typically measure the amount of alcohol present in the body. Depending on the amount of alcohol that has been consumed, this method usually reveals alcohol ingestion within the past few hours.
The more recent development of testing for the presence of EtG in the urine, on the other hand, demonstrates that ethanol alcohol was ingested within the past three or four days, or roughly up to 80 hours after the ethanol alcohol has been metabolized by the body. As a result, it can be determined that a urine alcohol test employing EtG is a more accurate indicator of the recent consumption of alcohol as opposed to simply measuring for the existence of ethanol alcohol.
This “Forensic Use Only” urine dip card has a cutoff concentration of 500 ng/mL. The drug test dip card requires the urine sample to be at room temperature (59-68 F / 15-30 C), before performing a test. The dip card only has to be immersed for 20-30 seconds, which will deliver results in 5 minutes.
The Best Alternative Test Products
The Best Alcohol Saliva Drug Test
Alco Screen 02 Alcohol Saliva Test – D.O.T. Approved, CLIA Waived
Looking for an instant alcohol “screen test” that is approved by the Department of Transportation? The Alco Screen 02 Alcohol Saliva Test – D.O.T. Approved, CLIA Waived testdelivers the convenience of an instant saliva test and has the approvals to provide reliable, accurate results.
This highly sensitive test is a reliable alternative to more expensive testing methods and specialty testing machines and can detect blood alcohol levels in saliva in just four minutes after collection. For a test with FDA 510(K) compliance, CLIA waiver, AND D.O.T. approval, the test surprisingly requires no specialized training or certification to effectively administer the test, making it a perfect choice for instances where an immediate test is required, such as when workers are about to go on site, or when an accident occurs.
Drug Testing administrators will appreciate that these instant saliva tests can be given out at any time or place, and have an impressive shelf life of twelve months, making them a most convenient option to keep in supply for immediate use.
The Best Express Hair Follicle Drug Test
Seven Panel Hair Confirm Drug Test Express
While technically not an “instant” result test, this mail-in hair follicle test is ideal for those looking for a non-fluid means of testing for long-term drug use and super fast turn-around time. Parents who are concerned that their teen may be using drugs will have peace of mind with Hair Confirm. This at-home drug test is extremely accurate and comes with an easy sample collection system and express shipping service to deliver quick results (an average of five business days).
The package comes with one test that can detect drug use for the past 90 days, and detects the following illicit drugs: Amphetamines, Cocaine, Methamphetamines, MDMA (Ecstasy), Opiates, Phencyclidine, and Marijuana. Simply implement a Hair Confirm testing schedule for every three months to maintain your household (or business) as a drug-free zone.
Still not sure what you like best? Check out our Best of the Best Instant Drug Test Comparison Table.
Best of the Best
Instant Drug Test Comparison Table
All Tests Are Easy to Administer and Require No Special Certification
Source: CDC Data Statistics — Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm
Source: From our October blog — Drug abuse in the workplace can cost over $140 billion each year for US business owners, according to the article onWhy Drug Testing is Important for Employers 6. From our footnote 6 and this article on this website citing the Department of Justice information https://www.air-prehire.com/background-screening/drug-testing-important-employers/
Source: An extrapolation of CDC data in its National Vital Statistics Report of 2018 and its Annual Surveillance Report of Drug-Related Risks and Outcomes — extrapolation by the Washington post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/04/10/study-despite-decline-in-prescriptions-opioid-deaths-skyrocketing-due-to-heroin-and-synthetic-drugs/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6fa97e88a46d
Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics
Sources: OHS Health and Safety Services Inc. Cost of Drug Testing. Retrieved from http://www.ohsinc.com/info/cost-of-drug-testing/
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). Wilcox, S., Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/addiction-update/drugs-and-alcohol-in-the-workplace
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What Every Staffing Agency Should Know for New Hires
Selecting and developing your staff base requires loads of effort and detailed work. As a staffing agency, you need to be fully aware of the complete profile of your new hires in order to provide the best matches to your client’s company. There are many aspects to consider when it comes to new hires, and there are also many challenges to face as well. Starting from checking professional qualifications, personal qualities, previous behaviors of the applicants to conducting drug testing and background checks, staffing agencies should collect and sort all types of information on their new hires. In this post, we will see some key aspects for every staffing agency when dealing with new hires.
When it comes to professional qualifications, some tend to believe that previous experience is the most crucial aspect to consider, while according to some other opinions, the talent in an individual should take the key part. According to the study on Human Capital Edge 1, companies should choose individuals who have already done the same job, in specific industry and conditions. On the other hand, the author of the article on “Talent Deal and Journey” 2 published by LSE, claims that while skills may fade easily, talent can be adaptable and is easier to develop for employers. Meanwhile, besides professional experience, another essential aspect of an applicant’s personal background should always be considered as well. Even with excellent professional skills and impressive talent, new hires may fail to fulfill the expectations of their employers for many reasons which may include alcohol and substance abuse, criminal background, etc. According to the case study discussed in a recent article by New York Times called “Economy Needs Workers, but Drug Tests Take a Toll” 3, while many applicants of Columbiana’s (the case company) welding, machine floor, and forklift operator jobs have all the necessary skills for the job, they have poor ability to think clearly because of abusing substances like marijuana or opioids. This eventually puts them and their colleagues at risk of injury and even death. So, apart from the professional experience and employment history, there are just as important points for staffing agencies to consider for their new hires.
So here is some important information any staffing agency should know about the new hires.
Personal References
When you go through the references of the new hires, it is essential to pay a lot of attention to the feedbacks that have been given regarding them on a personal level. Spend some time talking or emailing previous employers and colleagues asking them also about the personal qualities of the candidates. Ask about personal behaviors, any positive/ negative incidents, the drug abuse cases, previous patterns and interests of the new hires. According to a recent report on Drug Relapse 4, over 85% of people with drug abuse problems return to substance use within one year following their treatment. Besides, individuals who received the treatment remain under risk of relapse for many years. Another great way to know a person is to learn about his or her hobbies and interests to determine certain behavior, and have a clearer picture of the candidate’s personal self. Try going on social media and learning about the specific personal interests of a new hire. According to recent places and activities of a person, you will be able to learn about any potential challenges you may be facing. While this may take a bit more time to perform for all the short-listed candidates, the results will definitely pay off.
Background Check
Check the criminal history, any previous convictions and potential drug addictions of the candidate. This is especially relevant in case of some specific jobs including dangerous jobs, working with children and so on. Make sure you are aware of any registered previous records that your new hires may have. According to a report by BackCheck 5, a background check performing agency, previous convictions of employees carry measurable risks of employee theft and workplace violence which cost companies hundreds of thousand dollars of loss annually. This also may put the submitted resumes under the doubt of being fraudulent. So you need to be sure you have coherent and checked information in your hands. Any previous pattern of new hires take out to be abusing drugs or having any other prior convictions can describe a more accurate profile of a candidate, and you will be able to be more accurate while organizing the placement with your client companies.
Drug Testing
One of the most important aspects to consider while working with your new candidates is any potential drug and alcohol abuse. According to data by Statistic Brain presented in the article “Surprising Stats On Drugs In The Workplace”6, 56% of employers in the U.S. require pre-employment drug test for all the new hires. While you may assume a drug test can take a long time and a measurable investment from your side to perform, especially when you deal with a large number of applicants, nowadays there are simple drug test suppliers who make the job so much easier for you. There are simple and affordable drug testing kits in the market which provide fast and effective results while requiring little investment from your side. You can find them online on the websites such as DrugTestsinBulk.com; simply make sure you work with quality and professional drug test suppliers, and go for the type of tests which are most suitable for your needs.
Drug Testing Kits We Recommend to Staffing Agencies
There are many drug testing kits available in the market these days, while the advised ones are usually the All in One Cups or Multi-Panel PreScreens for multiple types of substances at a time, unless the employment type may require drug testing for any specific types of drugs. These types of drug tests are easy to use and can be easily performed by staffing agencies or employers without the need to hire a costly professional or lab to track the results. Working with a large number of applicants for your client companies that may be from the most different fields out there, can be rather challenging. So, you need to be the surest that you are aware of the full profile and behavior patterns of the new hires. As a staffing agency, always make sure you go through all type of sensitive information about your applicants in order to provide quality and competitive employees for your clients.
Article Resources and Citations
The Human Capital Edge. Bruce N. Pfau and Ira T. Kay.
The Talent Deal and Journey: Understanding the Employee Response to Talent Identification over Time. Karin A. King (2016). London School of Economics (LSE). Employee Relations.
New York Times. Economy Needs Workers, but Drug Tests Take a Toll. Nelson D. Schwartz (2017).
Drug Relapse: Statistics. Corinne O’Keefe Osborn. Retrieved from
Back Check Statistics 2018
Psychemedics: Surprising Stats on Drugs In The Workplace.
Area Development. The Impact of Substance Abuse on Finding a Quality Workforce. Woody Hydrick.
New Findings on Biological Factors Predicting Addiction Release Vulnerability. Sinha, R. (2011). Current Psychiatry Reports, 13(5), 398–405.
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6 Things To Know Before Conducting a Drug Tests On Your Employees
If you have already made the decision to conduct drug tests for your employees, you surely must know by now that the program will be requiring loads of resources and efforts from your side. Setting up your key objectives of the drug testing procedure is only half of the deal. There are numerous other aspects to concentrate on as well, such as: how to get started, how to find quality drug test suppliers, how to document the results and so on.
It’s true that nowadays it can be very simple and less time consuming to conduct drug screening of your employees all by yourself. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that performing drug testing is a measurable responsibility as well. Moreover, simply taking the samples and waiting for results is nearly one-third of the job. Performing drug testing is actually a whole procedure, and you need to be aware of the entire flow of the complete process. So, this article will be dedicated to pointing out the 6 key points you need to be aware of, before conducting drug testing for your employees.
Let’s go through the key points you need to consider while mapping out a drug testing program for your own company.
How Often you are Going to Conduct Drug Testing
The frequency of performing drug testing for your employees is a very important starting point of your entire planning process. Of course, a lot depends on the objectives of your drug testing strategy as well. There is surely a common practice when it comes to timing and occasions for performing the tests. An independent article 1 on “Drug Testing in the Workplace” by Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that the most common types of drug testing for employees should include:
– Pre-employment drug testing
– Random testing of employees
– Post-accident testing
– Employee drug screening in case of reasonable suspicion
– A follow-up to previous tests
– Regular/ fixed drug testing (once in a month, 6 months, a year etc.)
You surely may choose to follow the common practice, which may work perfectly well for you as well. But it also can be a good idea to consider the specifics of your own business; after all, who knows your company better than you? Each case is unique, and if, for example, the area of your business is directly connected with safety-critical activities, you may require very frequent and multiple types of employee drug testing. Meanwhile, in case the area of your business is less sensitive to dangerous activities, some drug tests may not even be necessary to perform at all, and once a year drug screening can be enough. A lot comes with experience as well, so, you can basically come up with your own frequency after a while, in order to make sure the selected method suits your business goals the best.
How Much you are Ready to Invest in Workplace Drug Screening
Although nowadays you have multiple choices to use cost-effective and fast drug test kits that provide clear results, performing drug testing for the entire company requires some investments; and especially if we are talking about a large company, initially planning how much of financial resources and time you are ready to spend on workplace drug screening is essential. At the same time, as confirmed 2 by EHS Today as well, employers that require workplace drug testing, end up hiring a more effective workforce. And hence, the more carefully selected employees always result in positive ROI which surely outweighs the initial cost of a program.
The good news is that you have many convenient options on the market. Easy-to-use drug testing kits are one of the cheapest and most effective methods to use. Depending on the size and activities of your company, as well as your key objectives and company goals, your drug test supplier should be able to guide you to the options that will fit into your budget.
Which Drug Tests you are Going to Use
Large range of available drug test options can also make your job harder, considering the time on research you need to spend on exploring even the most common ones. Especially, if you are new to drug testing, it can be rather challenging as well. There are so many drug test suppliers out there, that it’s not a sin to get confused and choose the options which may not be the most effective ones for your case. In fact, many official State Health Organisations categorize applying wrong drug tests as one of the most common errors among employers.
Choosing the types of tests that you will need to purchase is another important decision you are going to make. You may need to concentrate on:
– Drug test type (urine, hair, oral etc.)
– Specific substance detection (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines etc.)
– General screening (multi-panel tests for most common substances).
Sounds like lots of important decisions to be made; and, here is where you need a professional’s opinion or advice; but isn’t it costly? Luckily, some leading and trusted drug test suppliers offer free consulting from their professionals, in addition to putting the info you need to know in a simple language. So, even if you are not closely familiar with the field specifics, in the case of choosing the right supplier, you will be most probably quick to catch up and choose an efficient option to go for.
How to Promote Drug-Free Workplace Concept Among Employees
The matter of taking drug tests in the workplace still remains controversial among many employees. As a smart employer, you may find it your responsibility to find the best way to promote a drug-free workplace environment for your workers. For your employees to understand and respect your company drug screening policy is more important than some may think. Here are some ideas you may find useful:
– A good idea is to conduct regular seminars, small sessions on the benefits and importance of workplace drug testing.
– Not less important is to have a clear and simple-written drug-free workplace policy for all the employees.
– It is easier to respect the policy if one fully understands it, so make sure your employees understand how the entire drug testing process goes, what your objectives are, and what they should expect to get out of it all.
– You can also use some posters or writings on the visible areas of your building and facilities that promote a drug-free workplace.
Main Ways Employees may be Able to Fake Drug Test Results
Where there are tests, there are always ways to cheat… While nowadays drug testing kits provide clear and trustful results, some individuals can still be able to come up with ways to distort the picture. Investing some time in exploring the common ways that your employees may be able to fake drug test results can be very rewarding. Some useful pieces of advice include:
– Accurately follow the process of collecting samples for each employee
– Use follow-up/ back-up drug testing in case of suspicion.
How you are Going to Deal with Test Positive Employees
Unfortunately, as you proceed with drug testing, in some cases you may come up with test positive results. And hence, you need to know in advance how you are going to deal with these cases. Immediately fairing the employee, who happened to abuse certain substances is not always the most constructive solution. In a recent article 3, Society of Human Resource Management suggests that it actually may be more cost-effective to invest in an employee assistance program for more compassionate use of company funds, and valuable employee retention. It is also true that sometimes, the general rule may not be appropriate for just everyone. In the case of, for example, valuable employees, or frequent drug-abuse cases, you will probably need to have a specific approach to the issue. But still, having a clear initially planned strategy of dealing with drug-positive cases can be useful.
As it becomes clearer that conducting workplace drug testing can involve many important aspects besides the actual test performance, the planning process becomes more and more important. Careful planning and adjustment of your drug test policy to the needs of your own company are essential. While at the beginning the planning process may require more time and efforts from your side, your further job will eventually become so much easier; just like in anything else.
Article Resources and Citations
Drug Testing In The Workplace. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/default/files/jrf/migrated/files/185935212x.pdf
EHS Today. Drug Testing: How Both Employers and Employees Benefit. Retrieved from https://www.ehstoday.com/standards/osha/ehs_imp_36028
Employers turning their backs on drug testing. Society of Human Resource Management. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/pages/cms_016599.aspx
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Rules for Drug Testing In Medical Marijuana States
YOU CAN DRUG TEST EMPLOYEES IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATES – BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO DO IT RIGHT
Are you an Employer who breaks out into a cold sweat or get the jitters if an Employee or Prospective New Hire you are about to drug test tells you that they have a prescription for Medical Marijuana? As suppliers of drug tests, we understand your possible stress.
When we started this blog, it was going to address a recent Federal ruling where the judge in a U.S. District Court in New Jersey ruled that a business does not have to waive its mandatory drug testing policy for employees with legally prescribed Medical Marijuana. The judge also ruled that employees are not protected from workplace punishments for using medical marijuana, unless state law explicitly includes protections for those situations. New Jersey law has no explicit employment protections for approved Medical Cannabis users.
So much for a Federal ruling being applicable in all states! About two months later, a Federal Judge handed down a decision in Connecticut finding an employer guilty of hiring discrimination by rescinding a job offer for a prospective job candidate who tested positive on a Marijuana test and indicated she was legally taking Medical Marijuana. This was because Connecticut has anti-discrimination provisions in its Medical Marijuana laws.
In both cases, the employers were attempting to follow Federal guidelines for Drug Testing. In New Jersey, the employee was in a safety sensitive job governed by Federal testing requirements, and in Connecticut, the job involved a nursing home that received Federal funding that might be lost if they had employees who tested positive for drug use.
Further confusing things is that a few states that have legalized Medical Marijuana, have legal cases on the books that have allowed Federal law to prevail instead of state law.
These cases pinpoint the main factors that need to be considered when testing employees who have legitimate prescriptions for Medical Marijuana in the state they live in, as well as perhaps some legal allowances for “out of workplace” legal usage in some states.
WHY IS THIS CONFUSION HAPPENING?
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE FEDERAL LAW AND MOST STATE AND LOCAL LAWS AREN’T IN AGREEMENT.
The Federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) still lists marijuana as an illegal, Schedule 1 substance – one that the federal government has formally declared as having no “currently accepted medical use” and a high potential for abuse. In January 2018, the current Administration announced the rescission of the prior Administration’s policy that the federal government would not interfere with states’ laws and enforcement schemes regarding Marijuana use. Federal bills that would allow veterans access to medical marijuana through Veteran’s Affairs or allow banks to work with cannabis businesses, have failed in Congress. However, more confusion reigns since the President recently announced that he supports states’ rights to decide for themselves about Marijuana legalization, which seems to be the opposite of the Administration’s announced policy. And, no formal changes have been made in Federal law and Drug Testing Policy for some workplace testing programs.
On the flip side, 33 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam have Medical Marijuana laws on their books, 15 states have approved low-THC-level products for medical reasons in certain cases, and 10 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized adult, recreational use of Marijuana, with some limits on the amount and location of use.
While the Federal government and the states discuss any possible resolution of the laws, issues that arise in court generally are triggered by laws in 9 key states that have legally banned employment discrimination against Medical Marijuana users who are in compliance with the law in the states in which they work.These 9 states are Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New York and Rhode Island. In addition, some other states have more vague state laws construed to protect individuals from discrimination based on other applicable factors, such as a disability or “lawful” out-of-work conduct (for either Medical Marijuana or recreational Marijuana not used while on the job). Still, in some of the cases even in these states, Federal law could prevail, despite the employment discrimination provisions in the state law, showing that sometimes the decision is simply in the hands of the specific court, which often allows priority for Federal law. If you are an employer in the 9 states with anti-discrimination laws related to Medical Marijuana use, it would be advisable to review the laws and court cases carefully when setting up your drug testing program, and all employers should review their state laws to address any other mentions of protection from discrimination based on other factors such as disability or “lawful” out of work conduct protections. In particular, the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act should always be met in any drug testing program. Seeking Legal counsel is always advised.
HOWEVER, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ALL STATES STILL UPHOLD AND MAINTAIN AN EMPLOYERS RIGHT TO DRUG TEST AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST A POSITIVE DRUG TEST.
Despite all the confusion caused by legalization of Medical Marijuana, employers are still able to legally Drug Test and hire and fire based on a positive Marijuana test if they follow the laws within their state for the following reasons:
Federal law still says Marijuana/THC is illegal and many employers are expected to maintain a Drug-Free workplace.
There is no consistent application of the laws in court cases involving Medical Marijuana, with many courts often applying the Federal law when state laws are mute on specific anti-discrimination in employment clauses, meaning the case is often found in favor of the employer.
Federally mandated drug testing programs are required for certain key or safety sensitive positions (e.g., under Department of Transportation regulations), and these programs have long -proven their defensibility and shown employee privacy protections.
According to most legal analysts, states do no generally protect an employee from termination if the employer stands to “lose a benefit under federal law,” such as a license or funding.
In states that do not have specific statutory prohibitions on the termination of an employee for the legal use of marijuana, claims of discriminatory firing generally fail.
None of the current marijuana laws permit employees to possess or use marijuana at work or work while under the influence of marijuana. As a result, regulating workplace marijuana use is within the rights of employers in every state.
No state currently provides explicit employment protections for the impact of legal off duty recreational marijuana use on job performance and at work Drug Testing.
In states where statutes are silent on medical Marijuana use in relation to the Americans with Disabilities Act, courts have generally determined that employers are not required to accommodate Medical Marijuana use under the ADA and even where they must accommodate the use, the employee must prove supervision by a licensed health care professional, with the drug covered by a valid prescription.
Companies have a legal liability to provide a safe work environment as well as to protect the public from harm by some action of their employee in the line of duty.As a result, they should Drug Test to protect their workers and customers.
Many companies are subcontractors or have contracts which require drug testing in order to fulfill the contract. Additionally, many companies have become socially conscious of the serious harm of drug and alcohol abuse for their own employees, as well as the impact of drug abuse on work performance and absenteeism.
Many insurance policies and worker’s compensation policies won’t provide insurance, disability or death benefits to intoxicated or drug impaired employees, although a few states allow coverage related to Medical Marijuana treatment, with clear proof of care by a licensed health care professional and a prescription.
Almost every state has employment “at will”, which means that absent any contractual protections, an employer can terminate an employee for no reason at all, if there is not a known and proven illegal reason. So careful employers will generally consider their actions before they speak and act regarding termination or non-hire. Some analysts believe the “at will” factor works in favor of employers in states that do not have anti-discrimination clauses in their Marijuana legalization statutes.
Employers can verify and question test results, even when an approved Medical Marijuana authorization is claimed, but they should seek proper legal advice. When a presumptive positive drug test occurs on a drug test done on an individual claiming to have a medical approval for use of Medical Marijuana, careful review of the situation has been authorized since some usage violations have been reported and some workplace problems or accidents may have triggered a concern.
Medical Marijuana varies from Recreational Marijuana sold on the street. Often Medical Marijuana may be referred to as CBD or low dose cannabis. The Medical product contains both some (1)Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, whichis the psychoactive compound in marijuana — i.e. the element that produces the high – and (2) Cannabidiol, or CBD.This substance does not produce any psychoactive effects. Medical marijuana has a higher CBD content; so, when someone is taking it, they don’t feel the euphoria that’s associated with its recreational counterpart and are often less likely to have a work-related issue. It also may be less likely to trigger a positive drug test result, which is based on the THC cutoff level.Conversely, Recreational Marijuana usually has more THC content than the medicinal variety.
Reported industry information addressing commentary from labs regarding tests involving presumptive positive results where employees state they have medical approval to use Medical Marijuana, have sometimes reflected higher levels of THC drug presence in the specimen than would be common for Medicinal Marijuana. In fact, some Medical Marijuana products may have been sold with improper amounts of standard illicit Marijuana mixed into them perhaps without customer awareness, but some positives may occur from usage of standard Recreational Marijuana instead of the prescribed Medical Marijuana. Thus, an employer can question a positive THC Drug Test result, especially using appropriate legal follow-up procedures such as a lab confirmation and MRO/Medical Review Officer review of a lab identified cutoff level of positive test results in comparison with state legal allowances. If the cutoff levels appear out of approved range, the MRO then can further research the situation and determine if the candidate might have been approved for a higher dosage of THC for severe pain or other issues, or if a seller has provided tainted product or if the candidate has used the medical approval improperly and bought non-authorized product. This information may be crucial to the employer to know where a workplace safety event has occurred and corporate liability may be involved.
HERE’S HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR DRUG TESTING PROGRAM
Two Key Principles to Follow
Since similar legal cases seem to indicate that each case is often determined by the actual judge or court of review in different ways, there are two key principles that are foremost in protecting your Drug Testing program legally:
Federal Law still says the use of Marijuana is illegal and doesn’t technically recognize state laws on Medical Marijuana usage or recreational usage. So, know the Federal law and the specified testing programs which may apply to your business, such as Department of Transportation or OSHA requirements.
Know and follow your State laws regarding legalized use of Marijuana and related Drug Testing rules and restrictions. If you aren’t sure about your State laws, a good place to start familiarizing yourself may be on the National Conference of State Legislatures’ webpage ( http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx)
You should also read the summaries on some of the court cases in your state to determine consistencies in how any legal cases are determined. Check periodically to make sure the laws haven’t changed.
Keep in mind, this may involve following different state laws for each company division or location in different states, and you should also verify that there aren’t any “surprise” local regulations that also apply to employment rules.
By following both the Federal and State procedures and regulations as best as possible, you will most comprehensively avoid any unintentional and difficult problems and demonstrate a sincere intent to follow the letter of the laws, even if they are conflicting.
Other Proactive Protective Actions
Keep Marijuana in your Drug testing program. Although current ideas tend to try to classify Marijuana usage as benign, statistics still reflect accidents and workplace problems occurring while individuals are impaired by certain levels of Marijuana usage. Remember that you are responsible for providing a safe workplace for your employees.
Be prepared.As marijuana is legalized, usage has increased. For example, after marijuana was decriminalized in Colorado, the number of positive workplace drug tests increased by 20 percent between 2012 and 2013, compared to a national average increase of five percent.
Prepare and publish your written policies and protocols for employee and new hire Drug Testing about Medical Marijuana and Recreational Marijuana usage. Show how they reflect the current laws. Doing so gives employees and supervisors fair advance notice as to expectations and consequences. It can protect you legally.
Have your employees sign for receipt of the policies.
Post all pre-employment practices/requirements on all job publications.
Always seek legal counsel for unusual hiring issues related to Medical Marijuana use. Again, you should be aware that you cannot refuse to hire a candidate who you have offered to employ and then triggers a positive for THC on an initial drug test in one of the states that has anti-discrimination hiring legal provisions regarding individuals who have medical approval for use of Medicinal Marijuana. However, employers often become unnerved when they manage a federally funded program that has Drug-Free Workplace requirements to keep their funding and the prospect advises them that they have approval for Medical Marijuana use — since any Marijuana use is illegal under Federal law. This issue becomes particularly sensitive if the employer withdraws a job offer or doesn’t hire the candidate when they are drug tested and a positive drug test is reported before the candidate states they have Medical Marijuana approval. The National Attorneys General Training and Research Institute states that you do not have to employ a prospective employee if you know they use Medical Marijuana if you are an employer in a state that does not have anti-discrimination practices. However, you do nothave the right to make an adverse employment decision based on that individual’s underlying condition, and court case decisions can vary by state and case facts. In this type of hiring case, you should first know all the facts before making any decision, and you must clearly know your state law and seek legal counsel for your hiring decision.
Don’t just publish the policies and protocols – follow the actions they outline whenever you have a positive Marijuana drug test result, especially when someone claims they are approved to use Marijuana for medicinal purposes. Don’t just start allowing “passes” for Medical Marijuana claims that result in positive drug test results that don’t agree with the corporate policies. Morale of all employees is at stake for your company.
In locales where businesses have legal latitude about the corrective actions they can take for a positive test result, it is important to consider the ramifications of each allowable action in advance and perhaps only settle on one or two that will work best for the company and your employees. You may need to assert that safety-sensitive jobs at your company cannot be modified to accommodate an employee’s use of Medical Marijuana.
Always make sure adverse employment decisions are made based on the individual’s level of use of marijuana rather than based on the underlying medical condition allowing for use of Medical Marijuana, in order to avoid liability under the ADA or a state-specific discrimination statute.
Train your supervisors to be alert for signs of any possible issues that might be related to drug or alcohol abuse (reasonable suspicion) in the workplace so it can be addressed in a timely manner and before an accident or problem occurs. By being alert and addressing performance concerns in a timely manner, an accident might be avoided, perhaps not even because substance abuse was involved, but for other issues such as serious illness that might create traits that look like possible substance abuse.
There is no doubt that the courts will continue to address assorted issues related to the legalization of Marijuana uses when employers don’t educate themselves on the law. Drug Testing helps employers create a more productive and safer workplace. If you educate yourself on your state’s laws, periodically check on any new changes, and educate your employees as to the law and your corporate Drug Testing policies, you should be able to manage a successful Drug Testing program and avoid or minimize any issues related to the legalization of Marijuana Medical and Recreational uses.
Legal Advisory: Information in this article is general in nature since all State and Federal laws vary with regard to the legal use of Medical and Recreational Marijuana. This article is informational only and does not fully cover provisions in law. This information is not be used as legal counsel or advice. All Employers are responsible for knowing the specific laws within their state and at the Federal level regarding legalized Marijuana use and for seeking appropriate legal counsel in determining their Drug Testing practices, policies, hiring, and employment decisions.
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Top 6 Best Workplace Drug Testing Practices
Considering the increasing number of people abusing most different types of drugs in the U.S., more and more companies nowadays give high importance to performing workplace drug tests. According to the American Management Association’s recent survey, more than 80% of companies reported that they currently perform drug testing for substance abuse by their employees, as well as new applicants 1. U.S. Department of Labor statistics reports that due to substance abuse in the workplace, employers lose up to $100 billion each year 2.
Meanwhile, for companies’ drug testing programs to be efficient, they should be organized and managed in a consistent and compliant manner. In this article, we will introduce some of the best workplace drug testing practices for more effective and correct results. Whether your company already has a working Substance Abuse Policy, or you are just starting to consider joining the program, there are some important principles to consider.
Below are our recommended 6 best drug testing practices.
Establish Your Mandatory Drug Screening Policy
First of all, what you may need to get started with your drug screening process will be a comprehensive, standard and, most importantly, a mandatory workplace drug testing program. According to U.S. Department of Labor, workplace drug testing policy should include some standard specific questions on the terms, goals, timings, procedures, as well as responsible members of your actual policy 3. In addition, in case you are just getting started with building your policy, you can refer to the sample workplace drug and alcohol policy which is provided by the Society for Human Resource Management 4 or one provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Program Advisory Group, There are many more samples provided by official websites of specific states that you can use while developing your own drug testing policy.
Choose the Right Place to Buy Your Drug Test Kits
With a professional supplier, you will be able to create and implement a testing program, which can measurably improve the safety and productivity of your company, while being more cost-efficient. Instead of going through the complicated process of choosing the drug testing kit, that may fit your needs, by yourself, you can simply use the help of the drug testing store such as DrugTestsinBulk.com as your official supplier who will assist you in your pre-employment and post-hire drug testing and even employment background checks. Our professionals are also well-aware of various laws and regulations that can impact your business. Eventually, you will have a well-built drug testing program, which is perfectly customized to your needs. It is also advised to consult your local government and relevant official bodies, such as i.e. Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs of U.S. Department of Transportation, on any specific drug testing laws and requirements there may be in your jurisdiction 5. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website is a good place to review overall federal workplace testing requirements, and state-specific Pre-Employment and Employee Testing requirements are available on the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) website.
Conduct Random Workplace Drug Testing
In addition to your standard fixed periodical drug test, it is important to sometimes also conduct random testing. This is usually conducted within 1 to 3 hours of notification. The best practices suggest that both urine workplace drug testing and instant testing are effective for random workplace testing. This is due to the fact that both methods are able to detect the intake of drugs within the past 1-3 days. Instant tests are the best option here, which can detect drug consumption within 24 hours. Meanwhile, urine tests can show correct results for up to 72 hours prior the intake of a substance. In this case, conducting drug testing using i.e. hair samples may not be the best idea, as those are not able to show described recent results.
Consider the Importance of Pre-employment Drug Testing
While not every company performing workplace drug testing conducts pre-employment screening, the importance of it cannot be ignored. Studies report that substance abusers are twice as likely than non-drug abusers to work for 3 or more different employers in a one-year period. So it is always better to protect yourself from possible issues with potential employees by conducting a pre-employment drug test. In this case, you will better know your prospective workers, and any potential issues can be simply avoided. In general cases, applicants are requested to submit urine or saliva samples for appropriate drug and alcohol testing. Here it is advised to include as wide-ranged drug tests as possible (5 to 10-panel drug tests can be perfect). This is due to the fact that you may not know the applicant well enough, and hence covering a larger number of possible drug abusing substances is important to know prior to any employment with your company. Therefore, it is generally seen as a good idea to include the procedure of pre-employment drug testing in your general mandatory policy as well.
Be aware of tampered drug testing results
In many cases, employees tend to conduct their own research on how to hide the consumption of different substances. Especially nowadays, the internet is full of instructions on how to “trick” workplace drug testing results 6. While getting quality and appropriate drug testing kits are important here, you may also want to consider other options to minimize the risks of faking out drug test results. The first and most simple option for protection is to buy a drug test kit that includes an Adulteration test panel in it. This panel is designed to alert you to the most common attempts to tamper with the specimen. There are also several best practices you can use in this case such as i.e. requiring the second specimen on dilute results or going with a split specimen. In the first option, you can instruct applicants not to intake any fluids for 2 to 4 hours prior to taking the test, as in this case consuming an excessive amount of liquid. there is a chance of having inaccurate results. In case of choosing the split specimen option, you will have more options to test the same sample in different laboratories, or with different drug testing kits, as you will have the same specimen in two different bottles. In addition, make sure to follow the instructions of official bodies, which may have specific requests from certain types of drug testing. For example, the Department of Transportation has a specific request that all urine collections should be performed in a “split sample” collection process 5.
Educate your Staff on the Importance of a Drug-free Workplace
In order to maintain a healthy workplace, you can actively promote a drug-free environment by telling your employees about the importance of drug testing and the reasons behind the practice. This would also include educating your staff on procedures of your drug testing policies in general. You should be sure that your employees understand the entire process of the testing, including how and when they can be tested. Consequences of positive results for employees and appropriate actions-to-follow should also be covered. You can organize workshops, discussions or company trainings for your employees, as well as share copies of written P&P of your company.
As you may just join the workplace drug testing program, or wish to go deeper into developing a more effective policy, it is always important to consider the best practices, and work with professional suppliers. While performing workplace drug testing requires a certain amount of investment from companies (the amount depends on the purchased drug testing kits, number of employees, as well as the frequency of performed drug tests), returns can be more than worth it. National Institute of Drug Abuse suggests that not only drug abuse can cause lost work productivity, but also crime and dishonesty at workplace 7. So, by performing an effective and accurate workplace drug testing you can have a healthy environment with more productive employees.
Article Resources and Citations
American Management Association. Medical Testing Survey. Retrieved from https://www.amanet.org/individualsolutions/parameters-solution1.aspx?SelectedSolutionType=Articles+%26+White+Papers
U.S. Department of Labor. DOL Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/statistics
U.S. Department of Labor. Drug-Free Workplace Advisor: Resources. Retrieved from https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/drugfree.htm
The Society for Human Resource Management. Drug and Alcohol Testing- Employment Sample. Retrieved from https://shrm.org/search/pages/default.aspx?topic=Drug%20and%20Alcohol%20Testing–Employment
U.S. Department of Transportation. Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. Retrieved from https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/part40
WebMD. Drug-Test Cheats Try New Tricks on Labs. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20080728/drug-test-cheats-try-new-tricks-on-labs#1
National Institute of Drug Abuse. Trends and Statistics: Brief Description. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics
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The Importance of Drug Testing in the Workplace
The Importance of Drug Testing in the Workplace
While performing a drug test in the workplace is a widely common practice in many US companies, it still continues to be rather controversial. The main advantages of the phenomena are more than visible from the point of view of employers, who need to know their workers better and provide a safe working environment for everyone. In this article, we cover why drug testing in the workplace is important and why every employer should take part in this common practice. We will also see how employees can actually benefit from timely drug testing in the workplace as well.
The issue of drug abuse is especially sensitive in the US, which has only about 5% of world’s population s over 60% world’s supply of illicit drugs, according to Cost of Drug Testing article by OHS Health and Safety Services Inc 1. In addition, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) claims that 70% of Americans, who abuse drugs (estimated 14.8 million people), are employed 2. A study by the National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports that drug use which shows up in the workplace has been increasing over years. At least 42,000 Americans are coming to work under the influence of a certain type of illegal substance. Investing in workplace drug testing can be more than justified 3.
From the point of view of employees, however, drug testing is often associated with some privacy issues. Meanwhile, workplace drug testing can, in fact, be beneficial for both employers and employees.
As we explore the advantages of performing drug tests in the workplace, this becomes more visible.
Drug testing at the workplace can help employees with drug problems
Companies usually have their own Drug and Alcohol Policies 4, according to which they conduct the workplace drug testing, and in case of detecting some abuse, they take appropriate actions towards specific employees. In many cases, thoughtful employers give their workers with drug problems a second chance and provide appropriate assistance in order to overcome their problems.
It has been proven that people, who are offered a recovery program from drug abuse by their employers, tend to take the treatment and become more productive in the workplace. The study by Elejalde-Ruiz on How Substance Abuse Hits Employers claims an employee, who recovers from a substance abuse disorder, ends up saving a company more than $3,200 a year 5. This is obviously beneficial for both sides and will eventually result in healthier families and a safer workplace.
Workplace drug testing can decrease staffing costs
Drug abuse in the workplace can cost over $140 billion each year for US business owners, according to the article on Why Drug Testing is Important for Employers 6. Federal Workplace Drug Testing Program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration claims that employees abusing drugs tend to change their jobs in average up to 3 times a year 7. This is surely full of risks and potential expenses for companies. In case of timely performance of drug testing, not only will it be possible to have fewer employee turnovers, but companies will also have the opportunity to actually reduce overall recruitment and other staffing costs.
According to the Drug Tests on Final Job Candidates survey taken by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA), 16% of companies performing drug testing program in the workplace claimed that their employee turnover rates visibly decreased 8. National Safety Council’s study on Employee Assistance Programs, Drug Testing, and Workplace Injury, revealed that employees, who abuse drugs, are 2 to 5 times more likely to take unexcused absences, be late for work, be injured or violent at work, file workers’ compensation claims, and quit or be fired within one year of their employment 9.
Drug testing can eventually promote a safer working environment
Above all, this is one of the most important advantages of drug testing in the workplace. Employees, who abuse drugs, may cause a list of potential safety issues for both themselves and for their co-workers. This is especially relevant in cases where the jobs are considered to be safety-sensitive such as i.e. driving vehicles, operating heavy machinery, dealing with different chemicals etc. Employers hence need to be sure that risks of a workplace accident are significantly decreased due to accurate and timely drug testing.
Overall advantages of workplace drug testing include even more important aspects such as i.e. better productivity at work, reduced risks of conflicts, better company reputation etc., and not to mention the importance of pre-employment drug testing, which can save measurable resources for companies.
Drug testing in the workplace can be performed in a list of cases and periods including i.e. periodic or random testing, in case of reasonable suspicion, pre-employment, post-accident or post-rehabilitation drug testing etc. OHS’ article on Employee Drug Tests claims that ongoing (periodic) employee drug testing tends to eventually lower the number of employees in the company who test positive 10.
Another group of questions that comes up here includes:
How to get started on performing a drug test?
Which drug test to use on my employees?
Which are the most efficient drug testing kits? And so on…
Workplace drug testing nowadays is a simple and harmless procedure
While many would expect the process of drug testing to mandatorily include blood sampling or other complicated procedures, it is actually much easier to perform. Especially nowadays, drug testing kits are easy and effective to use while collecting urine samples, oral saliva, sweat, breath, and even hair samples. Today, drug testing provides time-efficient results which are quick and reliable all with a onetime use kit. There are a number of incentives to drug testing and facts that back up why workplace drug testing is essential in some states as well 11.
Before proceeding, however, employers must, first of all, make sure they are complying with all state and federal laws relevant to impact workplace drug testing. In addition, employers should prioritize the critical drugs, which are to be screened, in their Drug and Alcohol Policies, before going for appropriate drug testing kits 12. For more complete results, nowadays increasing list of synthetic drugs should be considered as well. For example, using just standard five-panel urine test may not be enough, as it cannot detect some of the newly developed substances, so the list of drug tests should be constantly reviewed and expanded.
Nowadays it is most advisable to use expanded test panels for most common combinations of drugs. The typical 8 or 10-panel drug tests can be effective solutions to test employees against several most common substances using one single drug testing kit. In addition, there are specific drug tests for more specific common substances such as Hallucinogens, Anabolic steroids, MDMA, Hydrocodone, Inhalants etc.
Finally, it is important to partner with a highly reputable drug test providing company for faster and accurate drug testing. This can eventually save time on constant research and reduce risks of inaccurate results.
Resources
OHS Health and Safety Services Inc. Cost of Drug Testing. Retrieved from http://www.ohsinc.com/info/cost-of-drug-testing/
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). Wilcox, S., Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/addiction-update/drugs-and-alcohol-in-the-workplace
National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Study on Drug Abuse in US. Retrieved from https://www.centeronaddiction.org/
US Department of Transportation, What Employees Need to Know About DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing. Retrieved from https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/employee-handbook-english
Chicago Tribune. Elejalde-Ruiz. Cost of substance abuse hits employers hard, new tool shows. Retrieved from https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-workplace-substance-abuse-0407-biz-20170406-story.html
Air Pre-employment Screening. Why is Drug Testing Important for Employers? Retrieved from http://www.air-prehire.com/background-screening/drug-testing-important-employers/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Federal Workplace Drug Testing Program – NLCP Drug Testing Results. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/meeting/federal-workplace-drug-testing-lodico.pdf
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA). SHRM Poll: Half of Employers Conduct Drug Tests on Final Job Candidates. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/pages/drugtestingefficacypoll.aspx
National Safety Council. Journal of Safety Research. Employee assistance programs, drug testing, and workplace injury. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437516300044
OHS Health and Safety Services Inc. Employee Drug Tests: The Six Different “Types” and “Timing” of Drug Tests for Your Employees. Retrieved from https://www.ohsinc.com/services/employee-drug-testing/
National Drug Screening Inc. Why Workplace Drug Testing is Essential. Retrieved from https://www.nationaldrugscreening.com/show-blog.php?id=210
Certiphi Screening. The Changing Face of Employment Drug Screening. Retrieved from https://www.certiphi.com/resource-center/occupational-health-screening/the-changing-face-of-employment-drug-screening/
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Employment Drug Testing: Pre-Employment Drug Testing Might Be The Most Valuable Initial Step In Setting Up A New or Expanded Program
All the discussions about Employment Drug Testing tells you how important it is and shows you statistics as to why it is important. You may even know the Federal and State requirements to conduct drug testing, whether for only safety sensitive jobs or for all employees. Or maybe you are a new company that wants to be a Drug Free Workplace or a growing company that hasn’t put a program in place yet or only tests current employees and you aren’t sure about your next steps for your Drug Testing Program.
As you budget and plan for the operating costs for employment and hiring, have you really considered the value of Pre-Employment Drug Testing in starting a Drug Testing Program or in further developing your current Employee Drug Testing Program?
For most of us starting any new program, the hardest part is knowing where to start, where to get reliable information and guidance, and in this case, what Drug Testing Methods and Supplies are the most effective ones for your program. Even if you have a Drug Testing Program in place, you may be wondering if you have set it up properly or if it is as effective as it can be.
Since the requirements for Drug Testing for Hiring/Pre-Employment and Employee Testing can vary, volumes of information can be directed toward you. What to look at? What to do first? Logic and calm can prevail if you simply think about the way you approach staffing overall – you hire and then you maintain your good staff.
Some of the first questions that can get your Employment Drug Testing program moving on the right track, without overwhelming you initially, are:
Why is Employee Drug Testing so important and how does it really benefit me?
What are my most logical first steps to consider in setting up my Drug Testing Program or how do I need to expand my current Employee Drug Testing?
What are the Legal Requirements related to Drug Test for Employment and where do I find that information?
What type of Drug Testing Methods and Supplies should I use for my Drug Testing Program?
So here are some of the answers, and DrugTestsInBulk.com is always here to assist you with answers to your additional questions.
Why is Employee Drug Testing so important and how does it really benefit me?
Alcohol and Drug Abuse contribute to safety and health issues, increase cost for insurance, disability, and assorted legal claims, they reduce the level of work productivity, and has been shown to impact overall employee morale.
You may have seen repeated statistics on the impact of drug use on workplace costs and productivity. Without repeating them all, at least a few need repeating to remind you of the costs when Drug Abuse impacts your workplace.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) estimates that a minimum of $120 billion dollars is lost to productivity related to Drug Abuse, and an additional $11 billion is spent on related healthcare costs.
According to 2014 records out of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Drug Abusers are 2.5 times more likely to be absent from work 8 or more days per year, are 3.6 times more likely to have an accident at work and are 5 times to file a Workers’ Compensation Claim.
Additionally, there is at least one new factor to consider for reviewing your Employment Drug Testing Policy and one Major Human Consideration to keep in mind.
New Factors – If you haven’t had a chance to read our Blog on the huge, deadly impact of Synthetic Designer Drugs (https://drugtestsinbulk.com/blog/why-should-i-drug-test-for-designer-synthetic-drugs-overdose-death-increases-are-fueled-by-synthetic-drugs/ ), you may want to take a minute to do so. Consider that the Center for Disease Control has said that the increase in deaths from just synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, grew 84.2 percent each year from 2013 to 2016, and they are still increasing.
This is just one indicator that you may need to take a look at your testing program to make sure you are addressing some of the most major Drug Abuse problems of today in your dated testing program.
The Additional Major Human Consideration That Companies Face: There can be serious legal implications that companies face because the National Safety Council has said that 80% of those injured in a “serious” drug-related accident at work are not the drug-abusing employee, but innocent co-workers and others.
Putting the legal considerations aside, isn’t there the more human aspect that all of us who work day in a day out for several months and years with our co-workers, come to think of them generally as friends in our lives? Do we want to see them, or ourselves, harmed because of drug abuse related accidents – or worse yet, to see our friends die needlessly from taking a dangerous drug or from a drug overdose?
So, what are my most logical first steps to consider in setting up my Drug Testing Program or how do I need to expand my current Employee Drug Testing?
The very first and important factor for any employer to be aware of and adhere to is to follow every Federal and State mandated law or requirement for Drug Testing for certain specified jobs, especially in safety and security industries and positions or for Federal contractors or grantees. You have no choice in these situations if your company employs staff for these roles. Plus, beyond the legal mandates, you know you really don’t need a truck driver, fork lift operator, stock-handler, etc. Jeopardizing people’s safety or your valuable equipment and resources.
We address where you can find assistance on the legal requirements in a following section.
So, What Should I Consider in Setting Up My Employment Drug Testing Program?
Your next steps in addressing how to set up or adjust your Employment Drug Testing program and policy may be based on whether you are a new employer who is just starting to hire employees, or you are an employer who just hasn’t really had the time to develop a strong Drug Testing program.
If you are a new employer, the choice to place your first emphasis on Pre-Employment Testing is the logical choice. But, if you are company that has been in business for several years, you may want to ask yourself whether you currently have a reliable and strong employee base or whether you notice high turnover, high absenteeism, accidents, and other serious staff issues. If you notice any human resource concerns, you may strategically need to focus on Pre-Employment Drug Testing before perfecting or adjusting your normal Employee Drug Testing.
How Pre-Employment Drug Testing Helps You Develop A Reliable and Strong Workforce
If companies hire non-drug abusers, they tend to develop a more stable and reliable workforce and bring down their costs of employee retention overall. Take a look at the factors that may convince you that Pre-Employment Drug Testing is crucial to developing your best workforce:
Studies report that substance abusers are twice as likely than non-drug abusers to work for 3 or more different employers in a one-year period.
Some employers conducting job fairs have reported that, when they have revealed that the next step in the employment application process would be a drug test, up to 50% of the applicants left the job fair or didn’t continue with the application process. Even if some had other reasons to leave, that is still a noticeable rate.
A study conducted a few years ago for the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) showed that 82% of employers indicated the drug tests they performed cost $50 or less on average, even as low as $10 or less.
Cost for rapid turnover of an entry level employee has been estimated at $6,600. This amount does not include any costs for health care, Workers’ Compensation, extended sick leave, and lost productivity.
Employers have not reported numbers of their positive testing results rate if they use instant product in-house, but major labs had indicated that 3.5% of lab tests conducted for pre-employment are found to be positive for drug usage.
If just one of your hires is in that 3.5% and you are a small employer, would you rather have spent $50 or $6600 on the loss of that candidate? The impact on larger employers is obviously much greater.
And, what if you replaced the high-turnover person with another possible drug abuser? Did you know that Drug Abusers tend to share information on the companies that do not conduct pre-employment or employee Drug Testing?
Because of the above information and data collected on drug testing programs a year after implementation that reflected increase productivity, reduced absenteeism, reduced Workers’ Compensation claims, and especially reduced turnover rates, 57% of companies included in a study conducted for DATIA in 2011 indicated that they tested ALL job applicants. Approximately 72% of respondents with multi-national locations conduct pre-employment testing, and about half of the study respondents had 1 to 499 employees.
We need to consider, in 2018, we are facing a much more serious Drug Abuse concern than in 2011, making Pre-Employment testing imperative and cost effective.
What must I legally do to Drug Test for Employment and where do I find that information?
The key point from the outset is to protect your company from any legal problems or liability, both against any government laws and regulations and against any liability relating to employee claims or complaints.
Keep in mind that any information offered in this discussion only addresses Workplace and Pre-Employment Drug Testing Programs. Other Drug Testing programs related to criminal justice testing, treatment-related testing, or other miscellaneous programs is not covered here and will have different requirements and considerations.
FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website is a good place to review requirements (https://www.samhsa.gov/workplace/legal/federal-laws) This website is valuable resource for other links to specific agencies if you fall within the categories of Drug Testing Requirements that are Federally mandated.
Just so you know, there is no requirement for most private employers to have a drug-free workplace policy of any kind but going without a program has generally proven unwise, as our statistics show. Also, if you want to ignore the general statistics, you should still be concerned about employee legal claims from harm encountered because of a Drug Abuse related event at the workplace.
That said, required Drug Testing Programs apply to federal contractors and grantees, as well as safety- and security-sensitive industries and positions.
Any organization or company that receives a Federal contract of $100,000 or more or a Federal grant of any size must have a published Drug-Free Workplace Policy Statement and must follow the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.
Federal agencies have established specific drug-testing requirements for industries that perform public safety and national security roles, including those that hold contracts for the agency projects and programs. Employers and employees in such industries are subject to drug-testing requirements from the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Defense (DOD), and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and Police and Enforcement Agencies.
STATE BY STATE REQUIREMENTS
Beyond the Federal government Employment Drug Testing Requirements, States are generally in control of what must or can be done for Employment Drug Testing Programs within their jurisdictions, and each state has different requirements. However, most states encourage Drug Testing. They simply expect you to comply with their state-specific regulations.
One of the most up-to-date tables of State Laws or Executive Orders, comparing requirements for Pre-Employment and Employee Testing requirements is available from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at https://www.aclu.org/other/state-state-workplace-drug-testing-laws . However, this summary does not cover some other considerations you might have in mind, such as options for discounts on Workers’ Compensation Programs. In addition, if a state is not covered on the table, it means it does not have specific legislation in place, but this does not mean that you should not be concerned about how you set up your program to protect your company from Workers Compensation or Unemployment claims.
What this table does do is outline clearly what information must be provided in writing to candidates being tested and/or if a drug test can only be conducted after a conditional offer of employment. It is always legally in your best interest to have a signed acknowledgement and agreement by a job candidate or employee, reflecting they have agreed to being tested.
As a result, if you find yourself with additional questions, it is always legally best to contact your State Department of Labor or other Employment-related or Insurance-related agency to ask for any clarity you need, especially since laws can change at any point.
DrugTestsInBulk.com does have access to another supportive State by State Legal Status Guide and would attempt to assist you with some additional information. A search of the Internet for your particular State requirements also often provides up-to-date information that may direct you to several additional resources.
Again, please remember these resources only addresses Workplace Drug Testing requirements, which are different than the Drug Testing requirements for other purposes such as treatment or criminal justice programs.
REMEMBER THAT THE LAWS REQUIRE YOU TO PROTECT CERTAIN EMPLOYEE RIGHTS
Other Employee Drug Testing considerations includes laws designed to protect the basic civil rights of American workers. These statutes set clear limits on how far an employer can go in investigating and establishing consequences for employee drug use. For instance, did you know that alcohol addiction is covered under the provisions of The American with Disabilities Act, and this Act prohibits the use of pre-employment testing (as opposed to employee testing) for alcohol use? The most important federal laws and regulations of this type to consider are:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993
The National Labor Relations Act (NRLA) of 1935
YOU WILL NEED TO PUT A DRUG TESTING POLICY STATEMENT IN PLACE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAWS.
Although it is generally preferable to have some sort of option for legal advice if you ever need it, many small businesses find themselves without ready resources to keep an attorney on retainer or on staff. However, this should not be used as a deterrent to implement an Employee Drug Testing Program.
Employee Drug Testing Policy Statements can be relatively simplified but the provisions must be clear and always applied in a non-discriminatory manner to all employees not covered by some special legal provisions. Unless your State requirements are complex, it is suggested that you keep your policy statement as simplified as possible.
A search of the Internet under “sample drug testing program policy statements” would provide many options for free formats for a policy statement. Just keep in mind, that each policy must be altered to cover the type of testing you employ, such as lab testing vs. onsite testing with instant Drug Test Devices which may be a greater cost saving for you, or references to which staff at your organization may oversee the program, etc. One such resource for information might be The U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Program Advisory archived website which offers a download of a sample policy that can be modified. Please note, however, that it is an archived site and the Free E-Law assistance at the Department of Labor is no longer available.
The Society for Human Resource Management/SHRM is another of many resource providers that makes policy papers and other resource information available to employers needing assistance.
The Next Step
Once you have determined how you want to begin to test your employee base, assessed all of the legal requirements in your State and industry that impact your testing, prepared a clear testing policy statement, and thought about the prevalence of what drugs may be available and abused in your area, the next step will be to choose the type of drug test or tests you may want to use for your program. Generally, the most cost-effective test an employer can use is an onsite instant Drug Test device but, depending on the type of employees you must have on staff or how you choose to test for pre-employment purposes, you may need to supplement the onsite testing with limited lab testing. You may also need to consider some special tests if any of your employees are health care service providers or even have health related issues that impact the type of specimen they are able to provide. DrugTestsInBulk.com is eager to assist you.
Whether you want to consider an onsite Drug Test Cup, a Dip Drug Test, or alternate options, DrugTestsInBulk.com has a broad assortment of options at highly competitive prices to assist you in setting up your most effective and cost saving program. Our friendly staff is prepared to answer all of your questions for your specific program, and you may contact us directly at (866) 465-2855 or use our online contact form at DrugTestsInBulk.com/contacts to request assistance. You can also view all of our options and order online at a time convenient for your demanding schedule at DrugTestsInBulk.com .
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