(Newswire.net — April 21, 2020) — Drug testing in the workforce is becoming one of the major tasks to do for HR professionals. According to Statistics Brain, 56% of companies need to take drug tests of their employees before hiring and even after hiring.
Using drugs in some industries is concerning such as construction, in which using drugs may bring fatal injuries, even death of employees. According to American Drug Testing 50% of all on-the-job accidents happen just because of using drugs. Addiction to drugs can lead employees to be absent, unconscious on what to do, missed deadlines. Thus drug-addicted employees are responsible for reducing the productivity and profits of a company. In fact, 40% Of employee theft happens just because of drug-addicted employees.
This is why conducting the drug test in the workforce lawfully is very important for HR professionals of a company. Because illicit drug use and abuse are detrimental in the workplace. Not only does it lower the productivity and revenue of a company but also it puts the employees at risk.
In this article, we are going to share some effective tips from HR professionals on how you can perform drug tests in your workforce lawfully and effectively.
Create a Drug and Alcohol Policy
It is always very important for a company to maintain a drug and alcohol policy which determines the limitations of the usage of drugs and alcohol. Though you want to keep your workforce free of drugs, you cannot say anything against the legalization of using marijuana in your state.
As marijuana is legal in most of the stats in the U.S., it brings the importance of creating a perfect law of using the drug and alcohol. To create a perfect policy, HR professionals can use HR software and maintain a handbook to note down the essential information of the employees. A company also should follow federal drug laws and maintain them strictly in the workforce.
Organize a Drug Testing Event
Before selecting the final employees among the candidates applied for the job, the HR manager must ensure that the new recruits are not taking illicit drugs. For that, a company can organize a drug testing event to find out the drug-addicted persons. It can be applied to both the new and existing employees.
However, according to ADA, pre-access testing is illegal in some states. So, if your company is located in such places, you cannot do drug testing before hiring employees.
Note that: You can conduct a pre-employment drug test if and only if you have the policy of conditional employment and require negative results in the test.
As an employer, you should also reveal the types of testing methods to your employees. For example, if you want to conduct hair follicle testing, you should also share some tips on how to pass a hair follicle test.
Decide the Testing Method
We have already discussed that your employees must know how they will be tested for maintaining the productivity of a company. There numerous ways to perform drug testing. You should choose the testing method lawfully based on the regulations of your states.
Based on cost and accuracy, there are different drug testing methods. According to a recent study, some of the most common workplace drug testing methods are Hair Follicle Test, Urine Testing, Oral Fluid Testing, and instant tests. Based on your company’s budget and affordability of the test in your area, you can choose any of them.
Testing Process
Usually, testing samples are sent to specialist laboratory technicians for initial and in-depth testing. At the laboratory, drug professionals do the screening and other confirmation tests under strictly controlled conditions.
So, the question arises on how you can conduct drug testing more effectively and transparently.
It is best to send your employees to a third-party testing institution that has trained professionals. The entire testing process will be neutral and it is more defensible in litigation. As an employer, third-party testing protects you more than in-house testing. You can also appoint a medical officer to review the entire testing process.
What If Your Employees Cannot Pass the Drug Test
If your company is under federal law and if your existing employees found positive in drug testing, you can take action under Executive Order 12.564. The HR manager can arrange the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and refer to the employees.
Note that: The consequence of a failed drug test must be cleared in your drug and alcohol policy. You should create a perfect law for the EAP program and employees must follow the rules and cease future drug use. Otherwise, they will be subject to termination.
Final Words
Workforce drug testing is the best way to ensure a drug-free environment. It allows employers to reduce the medical cost for the employees i.e., health insurance premiums, other health costs. If employers can make a schedule to conduct drug testing for both new recruits and current employees, they can create a win-win situation, improving the health of employees and reducing costs for employers.
Mary Walton is a professional editor, content strategist and a part of MarijuanaDetox team. Apart from writing, Mary is passionate about hiking and gaming. Feel free to contact her via Facebook.