The Four Essential Elements of Employee Drug Screening
An employer must realize that he or she does not have total control over all aspects of an employee drug screening. If the employer wants to have an outside lab test the employee’s urine, then the employer looses the ability to have someone observe the collection of the specimen. No employer can control the amount of time it takes to complete an employee drug screening. In addition, the employer has no control over the skill and precision of the testing laboratory. Carelessness on the part of the laboratory personnel could lead to false results, and that could mean big problems for the employer.
Not every employer takes the time to plan and carry-out an employee drug screening. Not every employer feels ready to assemble the four essential elements of an employee drug screening. Any employer who hopes to weed out from his or her employee pool those workers who are using drugs needs to have the following four essentials.
First, the employer must have designed a way to coordinate the collection of the specimens that are to be tested. If the employer wants to screen the urine of his or her employees, then the employer must make arrangements for a lavatory to be available on the day of the screening. It can not be in a very small space, because a number of people must come and go from that location.
Of course, an employer does not need to plan for the collection of urine. An employer could decide to test a sample of each employee’s hair. In that case, each person to be tested should have a place to sit down, while someone from the laboratory takes a sample of his or her hair. Oral fluids testing can be done with or without a chair for the specimen donor.
The mention above of laboratory personnel introduces the second essential element of an employee drug screening—laboratory coordination. The day for the screening must be a day when the laboratory has personnel available. The day of the screening should be a day when the lab will have plenty of space for the storage and handling of the acquired specimens.
Once the employer has managed to coordinate the collection of specimens and the assistance from the laboratory, he or she has but one half of the needed elements in a successful employee drug screening. The employer must also take into account the need for communicating with medical review officers. Those officers are an important part of the post screening activities.
After an employee drug screening, the medical review officers need to talk with each of the workers who donated a specimen. They need to obtain from each worker all of the relevant information. This is especially important, if the worker’s specimen has tested as positive for drugs.
Finally, the employer must decide how to go about reporting the results of the screening. A wise employer usually plans to share the results in the most caring manner. A wise employer makes an effort to see that none of the results become public knowledge.
The process of screening employees for use of drugs takes time and money. Not all employers want to invest that time and money. Some employers are ready to test not only present employees, but also all those who want to work for that employer. The pre-employment screening must mirror any program that has been based on an employee drug testing guide.
Not every employer takes the time to plan and carry-out an employee drug screening. Not every employer feels ready to assemble the four essential elements of an employee drug screening. Any employer who hopes to weed out from his or her employee pool those workers who are using drugs needs to have the following four essentials.
First, the employer must have designed a way to coordinate the collection of the specimens that are to be tested. If the employer wants to screen the urine of his or her employees, then the employer must make arrangements for a lavatory to be available on the day of the screening. It can not be in a very small space, because a number of people must come and go from that location.
Of course, an employer does not need to plan for the collection of urine. An employer could decide to test a sample of each employee’s hair. In that case, each person to be tested should have a place to sit down, while someone from the laboratory takes a sample of his or her hair. Oral fluids testing can be done with or without a chair for the specimen donor.
The mention above of laboratory personnel introduces the second essential element of an employee drug screening—laboratory coordination. The day for the screening must be a day when the laboratory has personnel available. The day of the screening should be a day when the lab will have plenty of space for the storage and handling of the acquired specimens.
Once the employer has managed to coordinate the collection of specimens and the assistance from the laboratory, he or she has but one half of the needed elements in a successful employee drug screening. The employer must also take into account the need for communicating with medical review officers. Those officers are an important part of the post screening activities.
After an employee drug screening, the medical review officers need to talk with each of the workers who donated a specimen. They need to obtain from each worker all of the relevant information. This is especially important, if the worker’s specimen has tested as positive for drugs.
Finally, the employer must decide how to go about reporting the results of the screening. A wise employer usually plans to share the results in the most caring manner. A wise employer makes an effort to see that none of the results become public knowledge.
The process of screening employees for use of drugs takes time and money. Not all employers want to invest that time and money. Some employers are ready to test not only present employees, but also all those who want to work for that employer. The pre-employment screening must mirror any program that has been based on an employee drug testing guide.
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Employee Drug Testing
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