For many employers, navigating employee drug screening can be challenging. There are many steps and policies to adhere to while being compliant with the drug screening laws. In short, it’s a lot to keep up with.
But what happens when an employee fails a drug test? What are the consequences of a failed drug test, and what should hiring managers and employers do in these scenarios? Employers need to understand the options they should take after a failed drug test and ensure compliance with company policies and laws.
Whether it’s a pre-employment or random drug test, knowing what to do next when something unexpected happens is crucial. According to the US Dept of Transportation workplace testing 49 CFR Part 40, Drug Testing process involves 3 steps:
Most drug testing ends at Stage 1 with a negative result. Stage 2 is required when Stage 1 screening result is non-negative. The same urine specimen will be sent to the toxicology laboratory for GC/MS or LC/MS confirmatory testing. In cases where the results of both Stages 1 and 2 are non-negative, the next course of action is setting up an interview between the donor and our MRO. The MRO review and verification in the drug testing program prevents an employee from being labelled as a drug user with a positive drug test result in situations where the employee is taking legally prescribed medication. This eliminates false positive drug test results.
MRO reviewed final drug test results are released to authorized contacts only. Finally, employers may take these findings into account to create a drug-free work environment.
If you would like to learn more about Workplace Drug Testing, please reach out to us here.