As an employer, you need to ensure that your recruits are the best candidates for the positions you are offering. To make sure that they are reliable and suitable to work to their fullest potential, you need to consider conducting a pre-employment drug test along with background checks. In this article, we have covered everything about Pre-employment drug testing and DOT drug testing in brief.
What is Pre-Employment or DOT Drug Testing?
Many companies, both large-scale and small scale use pre-employment drug tests to ensure that their prospective recruits and employees are not abusing any substances or prescribed medications. The five substances listed below are usually screened during pre-employment or DOT drug testing:-
- Amphetamines
- Marijuana/THC
- Cocaine
- Phencyclidine
- Opiates
The drug testing process is conducted by urgent care clinicians and includes the following three stages:-
- Collection and primary screening to detect the presence or absence of drugs.
- A positive test result will need a second review and confirmation by a medical review officer.
- Results will be provided to employers and job applicants within three days.
Why drug screening is important?
As per the research conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 59 million individuals starting from the age of 12 have abused illicit substances within one year.
Reports say that employees abusing substances are more likely to take leaves often, change jobs frequently, be late to work, or even cause workplace accidents where others are harmed. To prevent such circumstances, drug screening is a mandate.
When should candidates and employees be tested?
- Before employment
Companies generally conduct pre-employment drug tests on new hires for their safety against issues that could arise after hiring drug abusers. The employment of these candidates is entirely based on the results.
- On random
Random drug tests are ideal for keeping current employees from abusing drugs. These tests are often performed based on a random selection process on a random set of employees.
- Periodically
Periodic drug screening is a scheduled drug test at any specific time of the year. It applies to all employees.
- Post-accidents
Post-accident drug testing involves running drug screening on employees who have experienced workplace accidents. They help determine if an employee’s substance abuse might have triggered the incident.
- Reasonable Suspicion
Reasonable suspicion drug tests are conducted when employees have solid evidence of an employee abusing drugs. Some of the reasons may include:-
- Illicit drugs found at the worksite
- Unusual behavior
- Difficulty in performing tasks
- Disorientation
- Return-to-duty
Return-to-duty drug tests are performed on employees returning to work after having tested positive for illegal drugs. These tests are usually scheduled after the employee has completed a rehabilitation program under the condition of retaining employment.
- Follow-up
Follow-up drug tests are similar to Return-to-duty drug tests which apply to employees who have previously tested positive for substances.
What are the Most Common Drug Test Methods for Employment?
Drug screens are commonly performed via urine, saliva, hair, blood, or sweat tests. Employees are obligated to fulfill them as per the requirement of their employers. They have been elucidated below:-
- Urine Tests
This is the most commonly conducted pre-employment drug test in the U.S. Applicants are asked to provide a sample of their urine sample that will be used for undergoing an initial screening. If the result is rendered positive, a confirmation screen needs to be conducted before presenting it to the employer.
- Hair Tests
Hair tests have a longer detection span. but can only detect past drug use and does not work for alcohol abuse. During this test, a lab technician collects 100 strands of the employee’s or applicant’s hair.
- Blood Screens
Blood drug tests are highly reliable for both drug and alcohol use. In this test, a sample of blood will be drawn from the employee or the applicant by a professional phlebotomist. However, they have a relatively shorter detection window.
- Saliva Tests
Saliva testing is an effective way for employers to observe their employees during the collection process to prevent them from tampering with the samples. Often conducted on-site, samples are collected from the applicant or employees with a swab.
- Breath Alcohol Tests
Breath alcohol tests are used if an employer suspects an employee to be disoriented on the job due to alcohol abuse. This test is performed with a breathalyzer machine and detects the alcohol concentration in the employee’s system.
Why choose Affordable Rapid Testing, Phoenix for DOT drug testing?
As an employer, you must ensure safety, discipline, and integrity in your workplace. This can be achieved by routinely conducting drug tests on your employees to ensure maximum efficiency. Affordable Rapid Testing, Phoenix is a go-to option for every kind of pre-employment drug testing or DOT drug test. They have a reliable team of professionals trained to conduct all forms of drug tests at large and provide the quickest and most accurate results. Check out their official website to learn more.
