Drug abuse is a growing epidemic in the city of Atlanta. In 2012, the city ranked sixth in Forbes’ list of the most dangerous cities in the country. What makes the city more prone to drugs is the fact that it is a tourist destination and an education center. It is the seventh most visited Read more »
Should Employers Stop Testing for Marijuana?
In October 2017, the city of Atlanta loosened its grip on marijuana. The resulting misinterpretation of the move left employers wondering if they should stop testing their employees for the drug. The question of drug testing employees brings to light the confusion that recent legalization of marijuana has brought to the workplace. Before answering this Read more »
Is Urinalysis Drug Testing Becoming Outdated?
One effective method of determining if the employees or job applicants are abusing alcohol and substances is through drug testing at the workplace. Through drug testing, you can tell if a person used alcohol, prescription drug or illicit drugs recently. In the US, urine drug testing remains the most common method of drug testing. Employees are Read more »
How Atlanta Employers Are Creating Safer Workplaces
Under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) law, employers have the responsibility of ensuring a safe workplace. In essence, organizations should view it as a priority to create and maintain a safe workplace. A report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that 5,190 people died in fatal occupational injuries in 2016, a 7-percent rise from the Read more »
DOT’s Updated Opioid Drug Testing
A rule that was published on November 13th saw the United States Department of Transportation expanding its drug testing panel to incorporate oxymorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and hydromorphone, which are classified as the highly abused synthetic opioids by the agency, for DOT-regulated employers. The press release from the agency noted this as an effort to fight Read more »
Employers Can Still Fire for Marijuana
Eight states have now legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use, but that doesn’t mean you should run out to the nearest dispensary and buy some—at least, not if you want to keep your job. Federal courts and state supreme courts have ruled repeatedly that employers still have every right to fire workers who test Read more »
How Does Drug Testing Benefit Atlanta Employers?
Drug use in the workplace can be costly for employers in more ways than one. Companies lose money due to low productivity, chronic absenteeism, and poor performance when there is substance abuse among their workforce. Yet, even more, costly are the losses they face due to injuries. The impairment caused by substance abuse can result in accidents and Read more »
How Is Synthetic Marijuana Different
Research by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reveals that marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug with 22 million having used it in the past month. Marijuana use rose increased from 1.5% to 2.9% of the US population the past one year, according to the National Institutes of Health. In 2013, 2.4 million people aged 12 and above in the US had Read more »