drug testing
Drug Testing for Employment Purposes
Drug tests needn’t be a challenge for employers. Once the decision is made
to conduct them, it is clearly a matter of formulating a written policy, and
then deciding how to implement the program.
A drug testing policy serves as a guide for employers. It answers questions
such as “Why are we doing drug testing?” “Under what circumstances will drug
tests be administered?” and “What methods will be used to perform the
tests?” If no policy exists in your company, or if writing one presents a
challenge due to lack of time or knowledge, there are companies that can
provide guidance, to help you overcome this hurdle.
Why do companies perform drug tests?
In 1999, almost 15 million Americans were currently using illicit drugs
(once per month usage).77% of all drug users are employed.The total economic
cost in the U.S. was recently estimated to be $246 billion.Under what
circumstances do employers administer drug tests?
Although other purposes exist, most employers institute drug testing
programs for one or more of the following reasons:
Pre-employment screening – to prevent the hiring of drug abusers.Post-accident
– to determine whether an accident was the result of an employee being under
the influence of a drug. Random - to deter the current workforce from
utilizing drugs, which would affect job performance.It is no wonder that
employers have gotten on the bandwagon for a drug-free workforce. Statistics
show that one year after a company institutes such a program, there is a
reduction in drug “positives” of up to 80%.
What methods do employers use to conduct drug
tests?
Most employers (over 80%), utilize urine tests. Urine testing provides the
most reliable results, is the least expensive, and is the most likely method
to withstand legal challenge. Hair samples may seem easier; however, they
are more expensive, are more limited in what they can provide, are unable to
detect alcohol use, and are unable to detect recent use. Oral fluid testing
shows only very recent usage, since drug and metabolites do not remain in
oral fluids as long as they do in urine samples. This method is not as
efficient as urine testing for detectingTHC, which is by far the most highly
abused drug of choice, accounting for over 60% of test “positives” in the
workplace.
Employment decisions are riding on the results of drug tests, and employers
are relying more on drug test kits, because results can be obtained in five
minutes, it doesn’t cost nearly as much as sending individuals to a
laboratory, and in the case of pre-employment testing, an individual can be
hired and placed on the job right away.
For more information, contact Information Resources.
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