Drug Tests: A Brief Overview

Drug tests are becoming more and more the norm when it comes to American employment. The reasons behind it are simple. Verifying that your employees are drug free typically gets your business better rates on insurance premiums, which can really add up when you have a large collective employment. Of course, there's more to it than that. No one wants to hire employees that are going to be strung out on drugs while trying to do their jobs. This doesn't get into the fact that many of these substances are illegal, which could also lead to trouble down the road for the employer. If you're a small business owner who isn't sure whether or not your company should implement screening, here is an overview of the process.
Policies are put in place by individual businesses, and they often vary widely from one to the next. Drug tests are often recommended as a condition of employment, particularly when that employment puts the worker or others in potential danger. This is one of the reasons screening is important when jobs require driving. There may be policies that dictate additional screening should an incident occur. Other companies choose to enact random screenings of their employees. This can get into a murky legal situation, however, so if you choose to implement this policy, you must be prepared to defend your randomization sampling in court.
Drug tests are done in a number of different ways. Because of the strength of the evidence and the lack of meaningful ways around the test, many employers are choosing to go with hair sample tests. Saliva, urine, and even sweat are other possibilities. The screening agency will likely make their recommendations as to which format would be best suited for the purposes your business is looking to accomplish. Screenings are usually done at a clinic, but there are many companies that can provide quick on-site screenings with results that show up within five minutes.
Keep in mind that drug tests aren't perfect. There are a number of medications that can cause false positives to show up, seemingly implicating someone of taking illicit substances even when they haven't. This can occur when the individual has taken Aleve, certain antibiotics, Tylenol, Midol, and many other medications. It's important for a screening agency to look into these possibilities before delivering results.
Small business owners are within their rights to require their hires to take drug tests as a condition of employment. Beyond that, the law is still easy to follow, but it is important for any employer to make very sure they are on solid ground before they move forward with screening or termination of an employee. In cases where there are any doubts, a conversation with an employment attorney should put you on the right path.