On January 15, 2025, the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) released the “DOT Oral Fluid Specimen Collection Procedures Guidelines.” The Department of Transportation (DOT) published its final rule on May 2, 2023, authorizing employers to use oral fluid testing as an alternative to the urine drug test. The ODAPC provided the Read more »
Compliance
Duties of a DOT DER
Small business owners operating a drug-free workplace and employing the general workforce often handle the employee drug testing program themselves. They could be known as the company’s Designated Employer Representative (DER). The Department of Transportation (DOT) created the title for that position as part of its drug testing protocol. The DOT oversees employers of the Read more »
What is a DOT Safety Concern?
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy (Policy Office) coordinates with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and other Federal agencies to share the responsibility for determining transportation-related safety activities. The Policy Office coordinates and executes the DOT’s safety initiatives in the following ways: Reviews and analyzes domestic transportation policy regarding DOT leadership decisions Read more »
FMCSA Downgrading CDL if Driver Tests Positive
The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Association (FMCSA) has implemented a new rule for the safety-sensitive workforce that takes effect on Monday, November 18, 2024. State driver licensing agencies (SDLAs) will begin downgrading the CDL licenses of commercial drivers who receive drug and alcohol violations. This is Phase 2 of the FMCSA’s most recent push to Read more »
DOT Publishes Final Rule Amending Oral Fluid Testing
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced earlier this week that it published its final rule amending its oral fluid testing regulations. The final rule becomes effective on December 5, 2024. It amends several sections of the oral fluid drug testing regulations. Here’s a quick summary, but the DOT urges employers to view the document in full. Read more »
How Does Return to Duty Drug Testing Work?
All employers can drug test an employee who has been allowed to return to work after completing a drug rehabilitation program. However, employers of the general workforce who are allowing an employee to come back to work in this instance may refer to the test as something other than a “return-to-duty” test. That’s because these Read more »
DOT Proposes Drug Testing Changes
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced today that it proposes to amend its regulations for conducting workplace drug and alcohol testing for safety-sensitive employees. The changes will allow, but not require, electronic signatures on documents that pertain to drug and alcohol testing. It would also allow employers to submit electronic versions of forms, as well Read more »
Does DOT Drug Test Detect Synthetic Urine?
People who use drugs get desperate when faced with taking a drug test. That’s because they fear being found out and suffering the consequences of testing positive. Some try to obtain a false negative by using homemade concoctions or purchasing detox products. Some try using synthetic urine as an option. The trucking industry took steps Read more »