If your company employs truck drivers, you already know that DOT drug testing is an automatic part of hiring and ongoing employment. And because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, there's no confusion about this drug: Your DOT drug panel must include marijuana.
But when it comes to whether you can test other employees, like office workers, for marijuana, the answer isn't so clear cut, given recent decriminalization in various states.
This article will answer common questions that often surface as employers consider their options:
Simple. To save money. According to Behavioral Health Business, substance use disorders cost employer-sponsored health plans $35 billion per year.
But that's not all.
American Addiction Centers notes that substance use disorders in the workplace can lead to the following:
A drug-free workplace is exactly as it sounds. An employer creates a program designed to support a safe work environment, discourage alcohol and drug abuse, and encourage treatment and support for those employees struggling with substance use disorders. The program applies to all employees, regardless of their position.
It's essential to understand if your employees must undergo drug testing due to their position or the industry you operate in.
As we mentioned, if you employ truck drivers, you must comply with DOT drug-testing regulations, even if you don't drug test anyone else in your company. That said, you might decide to have a single "umbrella" drug-testing policy in place because of the many benefits a drug-free workplace offers. Or maybe you decide to test people in safety-sensitive positions but not general office workers.
No matter which path you follow, the keys to successful workplace drug testing include:
DOT drug testing is very prescribed—it has to be the same for everybody. The biggest "issue" with DOT drug testing is changes to how drug testing is conducted. Urinalysis has long been the primary method. But the DOT's recent ruling on oral fluid testing will significantly impact DOT drug testing—for the better, since oral fluid testing can be administered in-house by a trained individual. Plus, it’s virtually impossible to cheat.
With "general" workplace drug testing, there's more leeway in what an employer puts together. For example, an employer might decide that everyone must do a pre-employment drug test—and that's it. Or the employer might institute a drug-testing policy for safety-sensitive positions only. Or the employer might take a combo approach: Everyone it hires has to take a pre-employment drug test, but those in safety-sensitive positions will also be subject to ongoing drug testing.
State laws will come into play, of course. The employer's drug-testing program must fall within what's allowable according to the state (or states) that the company operates.
With this leeway, however, comes more headaches, especially around marijuana.
We mentioned this earlier, but it's worth repeating: Despite the recent decriminalization of marijuana in various states, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. For employers who fall under the watchful gaze of a federal agency like the DOT, marijuana must remain on the drug-testing panel.
For other companies, the answer to the marijuana question becomes more challenging. And unfortunately, knee-jerk reactions might inspire some employers to ditch marijuana on their drug-testing panels altogether.
We strongly urge employers to reconsider this stance. Don't ditch marijuana on your drug-testing panel simply because the changing laws have made things complicated to manage—or because you think marijuana isn't a problematic drug.
We have the resources to manage DOT drug testing, drug testing for safety-sensitive positions, and a robust drug-free workplace initiative.
What makes Foley different:
Let's talk about your workplace drug-testing program—and how marijuana fits into it.