Pre-Employment Drug Screening Information

Employment Drug Screening Explained

We offer pre employment drug screening to all businesses at competitive pricing.

We primarily use Quest Diagnostics who has thousands of offices nationwide.

All you need to do is select the drug screening option from your employment screening menu.

To avoid ADA issues, we always recommend the use of a Medical Review Officers (MRO)

What Is A Medical Review Officer?
MRO’s  are licensed physicians and who are responsible for receiving and reviewing drug test results generated by an employer’s drug testing program.

A primary responsibility of the Medical Review Officers (MRO)   is to evaluate  any medical explanations for certain non-negative drug test results. 

MRO’s also determine if there is a legitimate medical explanation for laboratory confirmed adulterated, substituted and invalid drug test results.

Recent drug use is best detected with Urine drug testing and is the only testing method approved for federally-mandated testing.

Businesses rely on laboratory-based urine testing for its cost-effectiveness and capacity to screen for a wide variety of drug substances.

See our page on pre-employment drug screening frequently asked questions for more information employers need to know about employment drug screening.   Click Here

What Drugs Will Show Up In A Drug Test? Click Here

Widely Accepted Testing Method

Drug testing aims to filter drug users from the workplace as well as to deter drug use on the job. Urine testing is the most common screening method and detects recent use, typically in the previous one to three days. It is suitable for all testing reasons – from pre-employment drug screening to random drug testing to post-accident. It can also be performed for a wide range of illicit and prescription drugs.

While a positive urine test does not necessarily mean that an individual was “under the influence” at the time of the test, it has become the standard for evidence of “current use” for the U.S. Department of Labor. Urine testing is also the only method allowed for federally mandated drug tests.

Specimen Validity Testing

While it is the most common drug testing method, urine testing is not foolproof. With specimen validity testing, we can help ensure the integrity of the test by measuring pH, creatinine and specific gravity (when indicated) and testing for adulterants that may be added to the urine specimen.

Quest Diagnostics is one of the few laboratories to offer oxidant identification for some of the most common oxidizing adulterants and is available when requested by the customer or Medical Review Officer.

Demonstrated ROI
Drug abuse in the workplace puts employers at a risk for higher insurance costs, more on the job accidents, increased absenteeism and lower productivity.

Urine testing, like all drug testing methodologies, helps to mitigate these risks by screening out applicants and employees who use drugs.

Download our Drug Testing Solutions At-A-Glance brochure with a matrix comparing urine, hair, instant and oral fluid

Under SAMHSA’s guidelines, once a sample is provided, it is sent to a certified laboratory.  The accuracy of drug tests done by certified laboratories is very high, but this certification applies only to the five substances tested for in Federal drug-testing programs and alcohol.

Below are certain procedures required by SAMHSA’s guidelines to ensure accuracy and validity of the testing process:

• Chain of Custody: A chain-of-custody form is used to document the handling and storage of a sample from the time it is collected until the time it is disposed.  It links an individual to his or her sample and is written proof of all that happens to the specimen while at the collection site and the laboratory.

• Initial Screen: The first analysis done on a sample is called an initial screen.  This one test alone is not always accurate or reliable; there is a possibility of a false positive.  Thus, in the event that the initial screen is positive, a second confirmatory test should be done.

• Confirmation Test: A second, confirmation test (by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry or GC/MS) is highly accurate and provides specificity to help rule out any false positives (mistakes) from the initial screen.  For a test result to be reported as positive, the initial screen and confirmation test results must agree.

• Split Sample:  A split sample is created when an initial urine sample is split into two.  One sample is used for the initial screen and, if positive, the second sample is used for the confirmation test.  If there is a positive result, the individual being tested may request the confirmation test be done at a different laboratory.  DOT’s alcohol and drug-testing regulations require all tests be performed using a “split sample” collection process.

Difference Between A Drug Screen And A Drug Test: Click Here

Do we have to send a Preliminary / Final notice of adverse action when an applicant fails a drug test.

Maybe.

Employers and applicants often use the term “background check” to describe a process that can include one or more employment screening services.

This may include criminal records background checks, personal employment credit reports, driving records, past employer checks and drug test results.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) describes a consumer report as follows:
“A consumer report contains information about your personal and credit characteristics, character, general reputation and lifestyle.
To be covered by the FCRA, a report must be prepared by a consumer reporting agency (CRA)—a business that assembles such reports for other businesses.”

According to the FTC:

“An intermediary that retains copies of tests performed by drug labs and regularly sells this information to third parties for a fee is a CRA whose reports of drug test results are ‘consumer reports’ covered by the FCRA.”

In summary, some background check companies will include drug test results in their reporting services. In this case, it is likely that the drug test will be considered a consumer report.

 On the other hand, if an employer obtains the information directly from a drug-testing lab, it is less likely to be considered a “consumer report” and subject to the FCRA.

How Employees And Job applicants Beat Drug Tests Click Here

The FTC offers specific   guidance on drug tests as consumer reports.

Florida Employment Drug Screening Click Here

Georgia pre-employment drug screening Click Here