Changes to drug testing or marijuana laws can leave employers scrambling to stay on top of updating their drug testing policies. For instance, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level but individual states are choosing to legalize the drug for both medical and recreational use. Some state and local governments have gone so far as Read more »
Missing Clearinghouse Deadline Puts Many in Noncompliance
The deadline has passed to submit annual queries or to register drivers with the FMCSA Clearinghouse. Employers in the trucking industry who hire CDL drivers are mandated to meet that requirement. If it slipped your mind, the deadline was January 6th, so if you’ve got drivers out on the road, you’re out of compliance. That Read more »
LSD Use Among Marines Prompts Drug Testing Policy Change
LSD, a hallucinogenic drug, is fogging the minds of our military personnel. The news broke last November when Major General Ray Fox, the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division ordered a urinalysis for nearly 53,000 active-duty Marines and sailors. Unfortunately, that isn’t the first time the problem had been brought to light. The Department Read more »
FMCSA Reports More Drivers Refusing Drug Tests
There are over 3.5 million truck drivers on the road across the United States and the majority of them wouldn’t risk driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol—ever. Sadly, though, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse documented 45,991 drug violations as of November 1, 2020. Drivers refusing to take Read more »
DOT COVID-19 Guidance Update
Last March, the Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) provided guidance regarding how to handle drug and alcohol testing safety-sensitive employees during the pandemic. The DOT announced this week that the guidelines remain effective through June 30, 2021. Updates announced on April 4th added instruction for Substance Abuse Read more »
House Passes MORE Act in Effort to Legalize Pot
Taking a step toward legalizing marijuana at the federal level, the House passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act on Friday. Introduced on July 23, 2019, the MORE Act would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and goes so far as to include erasing prior convictions. The news thrilled marijuana advocates, of Read more »
Marijuana Drug Test: Pros & Cons
After the November election, five states had joined the ranks and legalized marijuana. As marijuana becomes widely accepted socially, employers wonder if they should drop it from the test. Montana, South Dakota, Arizona, and New Jersey will have recreational marijuana laws going into effect next year. Additionally, Mississippi was one of the few remaining states Read more »
Are Bus Drivers Testing Positive for Pot?
School bus drivers are entrusted with our most precious cargo. It’s imperative that they’re in command of their senses. Sadly, though, there’s a chance that some smoked pot before they loaded up our kids and hit the road. A report released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) Clearinghouse confirmed that between the months Read more »