Tag Archives: drug test

New year a good time to review, create drug policy

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Do you wish you had a drug screening policy in place for all current employees and new hires? Every employer should have a drug policy in place to protect one’s business assets, reputation and employees. The new year is a great time to put one in place, or to change the parameters of your current drug policy to include rules, regulations and processes you currently don’t have but need.

First and foremost, a drug policy should spell out the various circumstances that would warrant the use of drug testing. Typically, there are four such circumstances:

  1. Job applicants. This doesn’t mean you conduct drug testing on every single applicant, but it does ensure that prospective employees understand and agree to a drug screening as a condition of employment.
  2. Random employee drug screening. While employers need not use this as a “surprise” tactic, it is perfectly acceptable to let employees know they could be subject to random drug testing during their time of employment with you.
  3. Post accident. If you are suspicious about the circumstances surrounding a workplace accident, you want to have a policy in place that allows for drug testing of everyone involved, in order to clear you and your company of legal responsibility.
  4. Reasonable suspicion. If you suspect an individual or a few employees of using illegal drugs or alcohol on the job, you needn’t test everyone just to “keep things fair.” Your drug policy should allow for the special circumstances for which you can selectively control who is tested.

Another thing to carefully consider is what types of disciplinary action will be taken against employees who are found to be in violation of your drug policy. Is one failed drug test cause for immediate termination? Will you have assist the employee in entering a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program? Do you want guidelines for a probationary period for those employees who fail a test but stay on the payroll? These are all questions whose answers need to be spelled out for all to see, and every employee should be asked to read over and sign a copy of the policy immediately.

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Former Nasdaq employee’s case is example of why pre-employment screening is so important

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Donald Johnson is a prime example of why a thorough criminal background screening is needed on all employees —and why the results should be taken seriously.

Johnson, a former Nasdaq executive, recently pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud for trading on confidential information about companies listed on the Nasdaq. In three years, Johnson acquired more than $755,000 in illegal profits, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

But Johnson’s story got even more interesting when it was uncovered that he had a history of fraud and drug abuse. Three years before he was hired at Nasdaq, he’d been discharged from the U.S. Army Reserves for stealing drugs from the Army hospital where he worked as a nurse. He also had admitted to falsifying hospital records in order to steal drugs at another hospital. His nursing license was revoked in 1987, and in 1989 he was hired at Nasdaq.

According to Nasdaq, Johnson underwent a background check and a drug test when he applied there. Though times are different now, people are not. Pre-employment screening services dig into a potential employee’s criminal history and employment history to give employers the full picture on the kind of person they’re considering, and what their past says about then.

Johnson’s story is a word of warning to employers who think employee background checks are unnecessary.

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Find the Truth Behind A Prospective Employee’s White Lies

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Let’s face it: Everyone lies. We make up little stories for our children to get them to eat their vegetables. We tell little white lies to our loved ones to save their feelings from getting hurt. And sometimes, we even pepper our resumés with misleading statements and downright falsehoods, in hopes of landing a better job.

Building a resumé is about putting one’s best face forward, highlighting our every employment experience in a positive light. But sometimes even well-intentioned employees get carried away, wanting to sound better on paper than they fear they have been in the actual workplace. And those white lies continue during the interview process, where prospective employees lie about their previous employment, their education, and sometimes even their criminal record. It’s been estimated that 10 percent of candidates have a previously undisclosed criminal record.

It’s impossible to make a clear, unbiased opinion of an applicant’s ability to do the job without first checking to make sure all the details they’ve presented to you stand as facts. The only way to do this is through a proper pre-employment screening process. Look into their background. Check their criminal record. Delve into their employment history. Have them agree to a drug test.

It’s important to find the truth behind any white lies that may have been told.

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Mandatory Drug Testing: Don’t Be an Unlucky Employer, Be a Smart One

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We all want to trust that the well-groomed man in the new suit and tie handing you the impressive resume is as clean as his newly shined shoes. But the reality is that not everyone is clean and sober. According to statistics put out by the National Drug-Free Workplace Alliance, over 74 percent of all current illegal drug users work, and over 74 percent of heavy alcohol users work. And those employers who are unlucky enough to hire them watch their productivity drag and their absenteeism rise.

But perhaps labeling those employers “unlucky” is a misnomer, because that implies the employer’s fate was out of their control. On the contrary, every employer, large and small, has the ability to weed out the substance abusers from their ranks — both current and prospective. Drug testing is something that should be done for all jobs in today’s society. If you want to avoid mistakes, injuries, lowered productivity, employee absenteeism and tardiness, and a host of other problems, it’s crucial to perform mandatory drug testing on all prospective and current employees as part of the employment screening process.

Your company’s human resources department should get every employee and every applicant to sign a waiver agreeing to take a drug test. It’s in the best interest of your company and your company’s clean and sober employees.

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Stars Like Lindsay Lohan Aren’t Immune to Drug Screenings

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No matter what your feelings are about Lindsay Lohan, the troubled starlet du jour, there’s one thing that’s perfectly clear — if it weren’t for drug screening procedures, she’d probably be making some even worse choices over the next few weeks.

Lohan has been sent back to jail after failing a court-ordered drug screening test.  Whether she will remain in prison isn’t altogether clear.  Some sources suggest that she might be allowed to enter an in-patient treatment program in lieu of serving her jail sentence.

So what can we all learn from the disaster that is Lindsay Lohan? 

First, that systematic drug screening works.  It’s a great way to prove that someone is doing something they shouldn’t. 

Secondly, that drug screening of personnel gives you an added measure of security.  If you implement random drug screenings(as do employers in many industries, like trucking companies), you’ll be safer and so will your workers and vendors. 

Third, though this didn’t work in the case of Lohan (unless she wanted to get caught, which is a possibility), drug screeningcan be a very effective means of deterrence from using illegal substances.

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    • Drug Tests – The New Reality for Job Seekers

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    greenblJust came across this press release today in which a warning is sent out to job seekers:  Expect to be drug tested.

    The article includes a number of valid statements, including (and this is paraphrased):  In a “down” economy, employers can afford to be picky.  Thus, they may choose to drug test now even if they didn’t do so before.

    Of course, for potential employees who have never touched illegal drugs, such news isn’t a problem.  However, for those who might be drawn to certain substances that are better off eschewed, it serves as a huge warning. 

    Drug tests are a reality.  Pass and you might get a paycheck.  Fail and you might be in big trouble.

    Drug Testing – What Will Your Employees Say?

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    If you’re concerned about what your employees’ responses will be if you implement a drug testing program, you’re not alone.  Many business owners and face this concern.  And, truth be told, you may get some resistance to the switch in policies.

    What are the possible outcomes if you implement drug testing?  Some could include:

    1. You’ll lose key employees who see drug testing as an invasion of their privacy.
    2. You’ll lose employees who are using drugs “recreationally” but whose on-the-job performance has been acceptable.
    3. You’ll bruise the company morale and trust you’ve built.

    These are definitely factors to consider. 

    With that being said, though, the positives of implementing drug testing can be just as profound:

    1. You’ll be protecting your employees and clients from problems that stem from drug use and abuse.
    2. If you do lose employees, they might simply be “self-selecting” themselves out of your company because they would ultimately “flunk” a drug test… and that’s a good thing in the long run.
    3. You will be in a position to offer help to a drug abusing colleague, even if you have to let him/her go.

    Now, you definitely have to weigh your options carefully and not rush into the decision to drug test.  Check with your lawyers, talk with other people in your industry and discuss your ideas with those in your personnel department.  But know that if you feel it’s the right choice, it probably is.

    Next time, we’ll discuss how to explain to your employees that you’re starting a drug testing program…

    In the News: One of the Most Bizarre Drug Tests Ever Conducted

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    It’s a very rare thing when someone decides to take a public drug test to make a point, but that’s exactly what Linda Hogan, ex to Terry “Hulk” Hogan apparently did.

    Without getting into the nuts and bolts of their issues, Mr. Hogan allegedly accused Mrs. Hogan of being a user.  In response, Mrs. Hogan decided to prove him wrong.  And what better way than to take a drug test?

    When the drug screeningcame back and showed there was no speed, marijuana, cocaine, vicodin, morphine, heroin or PCP in her system, Mrs. Hogan did more than make a statement to her husband — she sent the crystal clear drug test results through the media wire. 

    If you’re interested in reading more or viewing Mrs. Hogan’s drug test results, you can click on this link to Ok! Magazine.