Four Solutions to Problems When Implementing Workplace Drug Testing

Posted by Harry Mathers to Rants, Raves, Reviews 9 hours, 44 minutes ago | 0 Comments | Post a reply

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Problem 1: The belief that it all has to be done the same.

When most people hear drug testing they think of people urinating into a cup and that’s about it. But there are different types of drug tests available.

Solution: Have a plan when you implement your drug testing policy and figure out what combination of drug testing will best suit your business. 

The type of drug test you use will depend on your needs.

Urine

€¢ Conventional method preferred by most large organizations and government
€¢ Detection window varies by drug but usually it is within 1 - 30 days (for most drugs it is less than 7 days)
€¢ Instant results available
€¢ Can be cheated

Saliva

€¢ Newer method that is increasing in popularity
€¢ Detection window can last up to several days but is less than urine for most drugs
€¢ More convenient collection than urine
€¢ Instant results available
€¢ Cheating is impossible

Hair

€¢ Longest detection window by far, up to three months
€¢ More expensive than urine or saliva
€¢ Has to be analyzed by lab so no instant result
€¢ Cheating is impossible

Flexible drug testing capabilities can be tailored to your needs and can be used as a sales point for your business.

Problem 2: Allegations of discrimination against one group of potential employees.

Imagine that you only drug tested the males applying for a specific job or that you only tested a one specific race or age group. This would quickly lead to accusations of discrimination.

Solution: Make sure everyone is tested the same.

While you should definitely tailor drug testing to your needs, you must make sure all employees or potential employees are tested exactly the same way to avoid allegations of discrimination.

Problem 3: Testing procedure violates state-required procedures.

While virtually all states allow for applicant and employee drug testing, they all differ slightly and have their own rules and procedures to follow.

Solution: Research, research, research.

Make sure whoever is responsible for conducting drug testing knows the rules and regulations for the specific state where you are located. For pre-employment drug testing, some states only allow a drug test after an applicant has received an offer of employment that is conditional on passing the test. Other states require employers to provide written notice to applicants or indicate in job postings that testing will be required. You can find out the rules and regulations of each state at their respective state labor departments.

Problem 4: Applicants cheat drug tests.

A quick search on the internet will provide you with hundreds of ways to cheat urine drug tests. These range from substances that people add to the urine to mask drug use to devices that people wear that emit warmed, synthetic urine.

Solution: Sample collectors can take training courses on how to handle and collect urine samples to keep them safe from tampering and ensure they are legitimate. You can also require applicants to go to a sample collection center, which will have procedures to ensure samples are legitimate.

While businesses do face problems when it comes to substance abuse screening, making smart decisions, using common sense and employee education will all help to minimize these problems.

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