From a terminology standpoint, a drug "panel" is simply a collection of drugs—or the family of drugs—that you want to test for on any given drug screen.
Standard panels exist, and two of the most common are the standard 5-panel urine drug test and 10-panel urine drug test. But those terms can be misleading in the same way as saying two of the most common pizza orders are two-topping pizzas and three-topping pizzas. You might make assumptions about what those toppings are, but the combinations can vary widely.
With Foley, our customers can customize their drug panels. So it's not limited to a certain number of options, like five, ten, or twelve. Our customers have an almost infinite number of options, because even within the different combinations of drugs, there are different cut-off levels (i.e., the point at which a test is called positive or negative).
For example, the "standard" 5-panel is based on the five categories of drugs tested for in a federal drug testing program. And the "standard" 10-panel is five more drugs on top of that. But if a customer has a specific problem or concern about a drug that's not on any one of those panels, they can customize the panel to include that particular drug as well as the cut-off level.
Yes. At Foley, our clients talk to their customer success representatives and discuss their goals and options. For example, perhaps the organization is in a geographic region that's seen a spike in, say, Fentanyl deaths. So the organization's leaders might decide they want to screen for that drug. Our team would connect with the drug testing laboratory to configure a panel that meets the customer's specific needs.
In most cases, the pricing doesn't change dramatically, unless it's an obscure drug.
Certain industries do have requirements. As we referenced earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has a standard 5-panel that it requires. And yes, certain types of organizations might screen similarly. Consider steroids. Athletic organizations would likely screen for steroids, but we also find that police and fire departments often screen for steroids as well.
Another example: In the healthcare space, our customer base tends to be interested in non-illicit drugs in addition to illicit drugs. Think of prescription medications that people have access to that may be a risk factor.
Yes, absolutely. The way you said it is the right way to think about it, too. There shouldn't be a discriminatory element to your decision, i.e., 'I'm choosing this panel for this person, but this other panel for the same person doing the same job.' You want to have some sort of delineation where this category of job is tested under Panel A and this other category of job is tested under Panel B. And it can be specific to what they do.
Here's an example that illustrates what I mean: Let's say you have employees who paint bridges, which means they're often hanging off the underside of an overpass or a bridge as they paint the bottom. You might want a more comprehensive drug test panel to make sure they're not potentially at risk of serious injury. But for your executives, maybe it's less concerning and you only want to get a cursory screen to make sure they're not using certain drugs, like heroin.
The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is "yes, but it's complicated." If it's not a federally regulated industry, like transportation, then drug testing that's done for an employer under their policy is governed by the state statutory law or the state case law for the state where the work takes place.
Let's unpackage what I just said, since it was a mouthful.
Each state typically falls into one of three categories:
So every state has its unique specifics, which is why it's important to work with a reputable drug-screening vendor that understands and complies with all the various laws. And laws, as you know, change. For example, a current hot-button issue is how to handle medicinal and recreational marijuana. Every state has a different language and different standards about what happens in those situations.
The best advice would probably be to work with a reputable vendor like Foley. You want to work with someone who not only knows what they're talking about, but who'll also listen to your specific goals so they can create a package that meets those needs. Customization is critical. Drug testing isn't—and shouldn't be—a one-size-fits-all solution.
An important point to keep in mind: Commonly used drugs change over time, so you should reconsider your panel from time to time to make sure it's achieving what you want to accomplish.
Sometimes an HR department decides on what their drug testing panel is and then it stays the same for 15 years because no one wants to go back and think about it again. But the drugs some people are using today are different from the drugs they were using 15 years ago. So, if your concern is making sure that you have a drug-free workplace, then you have to make sure your drug panels keep pace with the times.
At Foley, we take a proactive approach. Our Customer Success Representatives will remind you when it's time to revisit the drugs you're currently screening for. This is just one of many benefits you'll enjoy when you choose Foley as your employee-screening partner. Get started today and leave your worries about choosing an effective and compliant drug testing panel behind.