Drug Testing Policy Implementation

Any company should review all the factors that must be considered before implementing a drug testing policy. Drug and alcohol policies differ extensiv...


Any company should review all the factors that must be considered before implementing a drug testing policy. Drug and alcohol policies differ extensively. Employee manuals provided by the company contain simple or complicated provisions relating to drug testing during pre-employment and post-employment stages.

Most employers enforce a drug testing policy in an effort to maintain a workplace free of drugs and alcohol. There may be no legal obligation to require employers to put their employees under drug testing but some still feel the need to enforce this kind of policy so that they can report who are the employees are considered under the influence of drugs or alcohol thus rendering them unsafe to work with. It is important for a company to draft a drug testing policy while considering various legal issues.

A simple drug testing policy can be stated as such. It is the Company’s policy not to hire or employ people who take illegal drugs or abuse alcohol. The Company reserves the right to require every employee to submit to mandatory or random drug testing as a continuing condition of their employment as the Company deems this as necessary for a safe and efficient operations of its goals. Any person who refuses to undergo such procedure or has been tested positive for illegal drugs are suspended until further investigation and is subject to discipline including termination.

In writing a drug testing policy, employers must deem the policy fit for the employee’s line of work. Employers should make sure their policies address the issue of the perils that drug and alcohol present. Employers should state in their policy the detailed descriptions and enumerations of what is prohibited. It must state what are the types of situation is prohibited, the types of drugs that are not allowed and the appropriate grade of alcohol consumption when coming to work.

It is important that when you have a drug testing policy, there should be a credible and reputable testing facility that would conduct the tests. This would make sure that the results wouldn’t be challenged.

This would make sure that the identities of the people being tested are secured and there is no breach in confidentiality.

On a final note, make sure that everyone should sign the policy stating they understand what it is and the repercussions if they violate the provisions of the policy. This would help the company against frivolous suits arising from the tests.

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