Last updated : December 16, 2024
Most major corporations today utilize pre-employment drug testing to screen all new hires. Post-accident drug testing is also important for insurance and liability reasons and corporations understand the important of random drug testing on a regular basis. For companies large and small, maintaining a drug-free work policy and enforcing it with truly random drug testing can be tricky. But, if conducted correctly, random drug testing can protect a company and its work population from the many negative potential problems that may occur from employees who use and abuse illegal drugs.
Understanding the important of random drug testing and alcohol testing should help managers to consider carefully how best to conduct those regularly in the workplace, in order to assist all employees to comply when required. Below are examples of how properly conducted and promoted random drug testing can help your company.
Prevention = Retention
By promoting and notifying employees about upcoming random drug testing, this should help them to comply or refrain from using drugs. The amount of money, time and resources invested into hiring and training new employees is substantial. Corporations understand this and are constantly trying to keep retention levels high. When employees know there will be random drug testing conducted on a regular basis, they will be less likely to use or abuse drugs, especially if there is a possibility of losing their job.
Short Notification of Testing Times
Unfortunately, information and products are available online to assist people in passing drug tests and alcohol tests, and if given enough time, employees can elude evidence of their drug usage. Predictable drug testing, or if enough advanced time is given before a test, workers could utilize products and measure to effectively evade a drug test’s detection of their drug usage.
Resigning vs. Firing
The important of random drug testing is evident when examining the legalities associated with firing a worker for refusing to submit to a random drug test or firing them for testing positive for drugs. A worker would rather choose to resign or be let-go from employment for refusing to submit to a drug test rather than to be fired for drug usage.
Documentation
Document the whole random drug testing process. By doing this, you will ensure better legal protection for your company in the event a worker seeks to file charges that they were unfairly singled out for random drug testing.
Know Your Drugs
While understanding the important of random drug testing, being aware that some prescription drugs can interfere with test results is also important. Knowing what medications your employees are taking is a big concern. Speak with the drug testing company you plan to use to get more information about how prescription drugs can affect drug tests.
