Why Drug Test?

Substance abuse – which includes drugs and alcohol – takes a heavy toll on businesses, costing billions of dollars in lost productivity and increased healthcare spending each year.

According to data from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 10.6 percent of full-time employees and 13.2 percent of part-time employees aged 18 or older reported using illicit drugs within the past month1. Survey respondents who reported past-month drug use said they would be less likely to work for employers that conduct pre-employment or random drug testing. In addition, data from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that employees who use drugs are:

• 2.5 times more likely than co-workers who do not use drugs to be absent for 8 or more days each year
• 5 times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim Drug testing programs aim to filter out drug users and deter drug use in the workplace. Since companies first began drug testing their employees in the 1980s, drug use among workers subject to testing has steadily declined. Employers are aware of the negative impacts of workplace substance abuse including higher absenteeism, increased risk of injury and lower productivity and performance. Therefore, if the overall goal is to establish a safer, more productive and drug-free work environment, there are many benefits3 that employers receive from drug testing programs including:
• Improve employee productivity
• Reduce on-the-job accidents and workplace crime, including theft and violence
• Reduce employee turnover
• Decrease absenteeism
• Lower workers’ compensation insurance and healthcare costs, including premiums
• Comply with state or federal regulations Because every business and workforce is unique, every employer should make a careful determination about the drug testing program elements that are most beneficial for their workplace.

Overview of Reasons for Testing

Combining one or more reasons for drug testing is the best way to avoid hiring drug-using applicants while discouraging substance abuse among employees.

Workplace drug testing programs aim to filter out drug users and deter drug use in the workplace. Since companies first began drug testing their employees in the 1980s, drug use among workers subject to testing has steadily declined.

Understanding when to test is directly linked to which drug testing solution your organization should select. Among the following reasons for drug testing, the most common are pre-employment and random.

• Pre-employment testing helps employers to proactively protect themselves from the negative impacts of hiring drug users. Pre-employment testing is usually performed after a conditional offer of employment has been made – a negative drug test result is required before an applicant starts working.
• Random testing, or “spot testing,” is a strong deterrent to drug users because it is conducted on an unannounced basis. Using a random selection process, (e.g., computer-generated), an employer selects one or more individuals from all the employees included in the employer’s workplace drug testing program. By using a random selection process, employers ensure that there is no bias and that all employees have an equal chance of being selected, even those who have been drug tested recently.
• Periodic testing is scheduled and is typically performed on current employees at consistent time periods throughout the year. Many companies choose to perform annual periodic testing – especially if employees are required to undergo an annual physical.
• Post-accident testing, sometimes referred to as “post-incident” testing, is performed after an employee has been involved in a workplace accident. Testing is used to determine whether drugs were a factor in the incident. Employers who implement post-accident drug testing must establish objective criteria for how and when testing will occur. Some examples of criteria include fatalities, injuries that required medical assistance, police citations or damage to a vehicle or property above a specified monetary amount.
• Reasonable suspicion testing, also known as “for-cause” testing, is performed when supervisors have evidence or reasonable cause to suspect an employee of drug use. Evidence is based upon direct observation, either by a supervisor or another employee. Specific reasons for reasonable suspicion testing include physical evidence of illicit substances, patterns of erratic or abnormal behavior, disorientation or confusion and an inability to complete routine tasks.
• Return-to-duty testing is for employees who have previously tested positive for illicit substances or violated a company’s drug and alcohol policy. For both the general U.S. workforce and the federally-mandated, safety sensitive workforce, return-to-duty drug testing is a single test that is performed at a scheduled time, typically following the completion of a drug abatement program.
• Follow-up testing is for employees who have previously tested positive for illicit substances or violated a company’s drug and alcohol policy. It is usually performed in conjunction with return-to-duty drug testing. Follow-up testing is performed after an initial return-to-duty test, and is only completed if the employee tests negative for drugs on the return-to-duty test and returns to their position. Drug testing can help to improve employee morale and productivity while decreasing absenteeism, accidents, downtime, turnover, and theft. Because every business and workforce is unique, every employer should make a careful determination about the drug testing program elements that are most beneficial for their workplace.