Maintaining a drug-free workplace is a significant responsibility of the company. It can be challenging to regulate, especially if you control hundreds of employees. Fortunately, there is a simple step that you can take to make it easier – employment drug tests.
Are you planning to implement this in your company? Here’s what you need to know.
Employment Drug Tests and Alcohol Screening
Drug testing is used to detect the presence of illegal substances in a person’s body. There are different ways to administer a drug test, but urine tests are the cheapest and fastest method. The five most common street drugs detected in a standard employee drug test are:
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Amphetamines
- Phencyclidine
- Opiates
Some employers can be strict, most importantly if the job requires the employee to operate heavy machinery. Consequently, they may demand employment drug tests that screen for more than five types of drugs. A job that handles the safety of other people may also be required to take additional tests.
If you want to screen for drugs that were used within 30 days to 6 months, opt for a drug test that uses nail or hair. But these methods can be more costly and time-consuming. Drug tests may also be completed using blood and saliva.
Benefits of Employment Drug Test
Whether you’re an employer or an employee, you need to understand the benefits of a drug-free workplace. The abuse of drugs can affect an employee’s work performance, attitude, and judgment.
The erratic changes in a user’s behavior can put both the user and their coworkers at risk. Aside from lost productivity, there is also a high risk of accidents and injuries due to the user’s impaired concentration.
The danger imposed by drug and alcohol abuse can be immense and costly. Adding a pre-employment drug test will reduce this risk and benefit the company.
Pre-employment Drug Testing and Workplace Drug Abuse Regulations
The easiest way to make sure that your workplace is drug-free is by implementing a mandatory pre-employment drug test. You don’t have to worry because it’s completely legal. As an added safety measure, companies may also conduct a random and mandatory drug test for its employees.
Keep in mind that different countries may have particular laws that you’ll need to follow. A no discrimination policy, for example, requires you to have all your employees tested with the same type of test. Some countries even require consent from the applicant or employee. We suggest you review your country’s drug test laws before finalizing your company’s policies.
Positive Results
Depending on the method used, results are usually ready within a day. A positive test result will require a further examination for confirmation. The laboratory may contact the applicant or employee for questioning.
As an employer, take the time to remind your applicants and employees to inform the laboratory if they’re taking any medications. False-positive results can happen if the employee is taking different medicines. These include both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. However, the laboratory may require them to present proof of prescription.
