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Louisiana Drug Testing

Last updated : November 18, 2024

We have thousands of Louisiana drug testing locations. However, you realize USA Mobile Drug Testing will come to you, right? Just let us know when and where. We’ve got you covered from there.

We do it all—24/7/365!

Call us at 800-851-2021 to schedule a Louisiana drug test now!

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Louisiana drug testing locations

Don’t worry if your city isn’t listed. Just call 800-851-2021. We’ll be happy to assist you in finding a location nearby. However—and we’re sure to mention it during the conversation—you might decide to have us come to you instead.

That’s right. You’ll never have to search for “drug testing near me” again! We’ll send a mobile collection specialist to your location, anywhere throughout the state— 24/7/365.

Employees on the job site? We’ll find them.

Night shift coming due for the annual fitness-for-duty drug test? Why not have us show up during their shift rather than interrupting their sleep schedule to report for testing during normal business hours? The phrase “drug testing near me” takes on an entirely new meaning when the test rolls right up to your location, doesn’t it?

We offer employee education classes, management training, and DOT services. We can also create your company’s drug-free program. We’ll even customize your policies to specifically meet the needs of your business.

    • 3525 Prytania St Ste 506
    • New Orleans, LA 70115
    • 800-851-2021
    • 5000 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Building 14
    • Lafayette, LA 70508
    • 800-851-2021
    • 1826 Martin Luther King Blvd Ste H
    • Houma, LA 70360
    • 800-851-2021

Marijuana laws

Louisiana does not allow recreational marijuana use. Even first time offenses include fines and short amounts of jail time.

Medical marijuana has been legal since 2015. In 2o22, the state expanded the medical marijuana program to include increasing the possession limit and the availability of the drug. To use marijuana medically, you must obtain a medical marijuana card.

In 2020, doctors were given the right to recommend medical marijuana for any illness they deem necessary. In 2022, the patient’s purchase limit was increased to 2.5 ounces of flowers every two weeks from their pharmacist. Other products deemed legal for use include cannabis oils, extracts, sprays, capsules, lotions, gels, chewables, suppositories, and transdermal patches.

Louisiana drug testing laws

Has your Louisiana employer or prospective employer asked you to take a drug test? Federal law places few limits on employer drug testing. Although the federal government requires testing by employers in safety-sensitive industries (including transportation, aviation, and contractors with NASA and the Department of Defense), federal law doesn’t otherwise require—or prohibit—drug tests. For the most part, state and local laws determine whether an employer may test employees and applicants for drugs.

Louisiana law allows employers to require applicants to take a drug test as a condition of employment. An employer must use certified laboratories and specified procedures for testing if it will base its hiring decisions on the results of the test.

An employer may test employees for drugs (except in the industries of oil drilling, exploration, or production). An employer that will take negative action against an employee based on a positive test result must use certified laboratories and specified procedures for testing.

An employee with a confirmed positive drug test result may request all records relating to the test within seven working days. An employer may (but is not required to) allow an employee who tests positive to undergo rehabilitation rather than termination of employment.

Defamation—An employee might have a valid claim for defamation if the employer publicizes a false positive result if the employer acts in bad faith and knew (or should have known) that the result was incorrect.

Alcohol testing procedures

  1. Evidential Breath Testing Devices (EBT) approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be used by certified Breath Alcohol Technicians to determine the presence of alcohol in the employee’s system.
  2. The employee will be advised of the results of the breath screening test. No further testing will be required if the test results are negative. If the screening test is positive for the presence of alcohol, a confirmation test will be performed within twenty minutes, but not less than fifteen minutes of completion of the screening test. If the confirmatory test indicates a blood alcohol concentration in violation of this policy, the results will be reported as positive to DNR’s designated representative.
  3. An employee occupying a Safety-Sensitive Position will be immediately removed from performing Safety-Sensitive functions in the event of a positive alcohol test.
  4. Positive test results will also be reported to the appointing authority whenever an employee refuses to complete or sign the breath alcohol confirmation testing form, provide breath or an adequate amount of breath (excluding medical inability), or fails to cooperate with the testing procedure in any way that prevents completion of the test.

Enforcement

The use or possession of Illegal Drugs, as defined in this policy, or the use of alcohol in violation of this policy will not be tolerated. While the Department’s position is firm, we will resolve any reasonable doubt regarding the testing procedure or results in the employee’s favor.

Disciplinary action will be taken after a complete and thorough review of the applicable data in accordance with Chapter 12 of the Civil Service Rules. Employees will be provided pre-deprivation notice and a meaningful opportunity to respond prior to the imposition of disciplinary action.

  1. Penalty for a first positive test: A first positive drug test or alcohol test which evidences a violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including the possibility of termination. Factors to be considered in determining the appropriate sanction include but are not limited to, the employee’s work history, length of service, current job performance, and the existence of prior disciplinary action.
  2. Termination will be considered an appropriate penalty for the following violations: Second positive drug test or alcohol test which evidences a violation of this policy; Refusal to submit to a drug test or alcohol test; Failure to cooperate in any way which prevents the completion of a drug or alcohol test (including, but not limited to, refusing to provide, complete or sign testing forms, refusing to provide urine (excluding medical inability)); Submission of an adulterated or substitute sample for testing; Buying, selling, dispensing, distributing, possessing or using any Illegal Drug, while on duty, in a vehicle or on DNR property or using alcohol in violation of this policy; and Operating a Public Vehicle while under the influence of Illegal Drugs or alcohol where testing administered by an authorized official confirms a violation of this Policy.
  3. LDNR’s Human Resource Director shall be the coordinator for these policies, and the designated point of contact for the Drug Testing Contractor and Medical Review Officer.

Confidentiality/employee rights

All drug and alcohol testing results and records (including all information, interviews, reports, and statements) are considered confidential communications, pursuant to La. R.S. 49:1012, and may not be used or received in evidence, obtained in discovery, or disclosed in any public or private proceeding, except in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding or civil litigation where drug use by the tested individual is relevant. Exceptions to these confidentiality provisions are limited to written employee consent; federal agencies when licensure or certification actions are required; to a decision-maker in arbitration, litigation, or administrative proceedings arising from a positive drug test; and as otherwise required by law.

In compliance with La. R.S. 49:1011, any employee, upon learning of a confirmed positive test result, shall, upon written request, have the right of access, within seven working days, to records and other documentation relating to the drug testing process and any records relating to the results of any relevant certification, review, suspension/revocation proceedings of the testing facility.

Employees should know that statistical records and reports of drug testing are maintained by DNR, contract physicians and drug testing laboratories. This information is aggregate data and is used to monitor compliance and to assess the effectiveness of the drug testing program.

Nothing contained in this policy will be construed to preclude the delivery of any Illegal Drug discovered in/on DNR/State property, or upon the person of a DNR employee, to law enforcement officials. Any employee selling, dispensing, distributing, possessing, or using Illegal Drugs while on duty or on DNR/State property shall be referred to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

Legal claims for drug testing

Louisiana employers must use certified laboratories and follow required procedures if they will use a positive test result as the basis for discipline or termination; an employer who doesn’t follow these rules could end up in legal trouble. Other potential legal issues arising from drug testing include:

Disability discrimination

An applicant or employee who is taking medication for a disability is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some prescribed medications turn up on drug tests, and some drugs that would otherwise be illegal (such as opiates) are legitimately prescribed for certain conditions. If an applicant is turned down because of a positive drug test, and the applicant’s medication was legally prescribed for a disability, the company could be liable (unless the drug is medical marijuana).

Other discrimination claims. An employer who singles out certain groups of employees – for example, by race, age, or gender – for drug testing could face a discrimination claim.

Invasion of privacy

Even an employer that has a legitimate reason to test might violate employee privacy in the way it conducts the test. For example, requiring employees to disrobe or provide a urine sample in front of others could be a privacy violation, depending on the circumstances.

Testing methods

Blood testing is rarely used for employee drug testing due to its expense and highly invasive nature. Blood tests detect the parent drug rather than drug metabolites. Therefore, the detection window is mere hours for nearly all drugs. However, methamphetamines remain in the blood for one to three days.

The test must be administered in a medical setting by trained medical personnel. It’s often reserved for post-accident testing when determining

There are three primary test methods used for employee drug testing. They are urine, mouth swab, or hair follicle drug tests. Louisiana’s drug-free workplace requirements don’t include using a specific drug test. Therefore, employers who aren’t mandated to use the DOT drug test can use any of the testing methods that they choose.

Urine drug test

The urine drug test tops the charts as the most used employee drug testing method. As a matter of fact, it was the only drug testing method available for many years. However, over the years, drug users became more capable of finding successful ways to adulterate this test. Scientists invented both the mouth swab test and the hair follicle test in an attempt to combat that problem.

Today, urine tests have become extremely effective at detecting drugs and adulterants or other attempts to falsify these tests. Drug users still try, however, and discover the hard way that shouldn’t have been their chosen course of action.

The identification period is drug-specific and varies from mere hours up to three weeks or so. Marijuana is the exception to the rule as chronic users can test positive for THC for over thirty days.

These tests are cost-effective and produce accurate results. If the immunoassay (IA) test shows a positive result, the sample is sent on for confirmation testing using the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MC) test. This test also specifies the drug(s) and drug level(s).

Results return in less than a week.

Mouth swab test

This method also goes by the names of saliva or oral fluids tests. It’s in the midrange in regard to the cost being more expensive than the urine test but less expensive than a hair test.

The mouth swab test detects recent and even current impairment for some drugs. The window of detection is the shortest of the three primary methods, however, only lasting up to seventy-two hours depending on the drug. For instance, marijuana is only detected on this test for about twenty-four hours no matter how often the drug is ingested.

Mouth swab testing technology is becoming more and more sophisticated and the results are extremely accurate. Consequently, it’s virtually impossible to switch the specimen as the test subject never leaves the testing technician’s sight. Moreover, attempts to falsify the test using mouthwashes or other adulterants claiming to mask or “detoxify” the drug metabolites in the body are false. The body is constantly producing saliva and it will be collected by the mouth swab.

At the lab, the mouth swab samples undergo an IA test and those yielding positive results go on for the GC/MS test for confirmation. The second test also determines the drug type and level found in the system.

Employers receive the results in a couple of days.

Hair follicle testing

The hair follicle test is unique in that it identifies any and all drug use for a 90-day period. It’s more expensive than either the urine or saliva drug tests. However, the extended detection period outweighs the cost in the eyes of many. In fact, some employers in the trucking industry require their employees to submit to both the DOT drug test and the hair follicle test. They choose to incur the added expense of additional drug testing to have access to the extended detection period.

In addition, the hair follicle test is impossible to falsify. Drug metabolites store themselves throughout the body until excreted. Those that stow away in the hair follicle, actually grow out into the hair shaft becoming a part of the hair. Moreover, there’s no way to rid the hair of them or to cover them with a substance that will hide them from the test.

We determine the 90-day detection period by hair length. Human hair grows at the rate of about 1/2 inch per month. The standard test length for the hair follicle test is one and one-half inches. Thus, one and one-half inches equals ninety days. However, laboratories honor requests to extend the detection window even further by increasing the length of hair tested.

It won’t be much longer before the DOT drug test changes from the urine test to the hair follicle test. The request is currently making its way through the chain of command and isn’t expected to meet with resistance at any point along the way.

Comparatively, it takes about a week to receive results.

Drugs detected

The standard 5 panel employee drug test is widely used by employers of the general workforce. As its name implies, it accurately detects five of commonly abused drugs in the workplace. The drugs identified on the test typically include amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, marijuana, and PCP.

However, some employers choose to use a more extensive test and look to the 9, 10, or 12 panel drug tests. USA Mobile Drug Testing offers these test panels, however, we don’t limit employers to the drug panels we placed on them. Employers are free to swap a drug on the test panel for another, can add additional drugs to the test panel they’ve chosen, or even create their own unique drug screen panel.

Moreover, we have the capability to test for all manner of drugs, including “specialty” drugs such as bath salts, K2, steroids, or synthetic opioids.

Some specific drug identification periods

We’ve mentioned that the specific length of drug detection varies, with the exception of the hair follicle test. Some examples of detection periods follow:

  • Amphetamines and methamphetamines are detected on the urine test for two or three days, but habitual use may show up for four days. The saliva test identifies amphetamines for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
  • Barbiturates remain detectable in urine for up to three weeks and in the saliva for up to three days.
  • Benzodiazepines show up in urine tests for up to ten days and in the saliva for about two and a half days.
  • Cocaine is traceable in urine tests for up to three days and in the saliva for up to two days.
  • It takes a couple of hours for ecstasy to show up in a urine test and it can be identified between one and three days thereafter. Saliva tests pick up on ecstasy in as little as 15 minutes after taking the drug. It remains traceable for one or two days.
  • Synthetic opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, are identifiable in urine between two to four days. Saliva tests vary a bit more ranging from up to 12 to 48 hours depending on the frequency of use.
  • Methaqualone detection lasts up to three days when using a urine drug test. The saliva test detects this drug for at least one day, however, if used frequently it shows up for a longer period of time.

DOT information

The DOT (Department of Transportation) was created to regulate the safety-sensitive workforce through the following administrations.

  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
  • Federal Railroad Administration
  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • Federal Transit Administration
  • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
  • United States Coast Guard

The goal of the DOT is to ensure the safety of the general public as they travel by land, air, or sea. One of the regulations includes safety-sensitive employee drug testing. Employers regulated by the DOT implement the following employee drug tests:

The DOT mandates the use of the urine drug test that includes a specific drug panel.

DOT drug test

The DOT drug test requires employers to test for five of the most commonly abused drugs in the workplace. They are amphetamines, opiates, cocaine, marijuana, and PCP (phencyclidine). However, in a direct attempt to combat the growing opiate addiction crisis plaguing our nation, they added four semi-synthetic opioids to the test panel in January 2018.

Hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone are highly addictive pain medications. Heavily prescribed by physicians for years, these drugs are highly addictive. Sadly, many who found themselves craving the drugs when they were no longer prescribed the medication turned to the black market. Or, perhaps, in an attempt to feed the addiction when their drug of choice became too costly, they turned to heroin use instead.

The DOT has long considered switching from the urine drug test to the hair follicle drug test. We previously stated that the official request is currently making its way through the chain of command. Many expect it to complete the process in the near future. In the meantime, the oral fluid test has been approved for use as soon as there are two SAMHSA-certified laboratories available to process the tests.

FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

The FMCSA Clearinghouse has been up and running for over three years now. It tracks safety-sensitive employees that have outstanding drug or alcohol violations. Employers no longer need to conduct manual inquiries with previous employers in addition to the Clearinghouse query. Only Clearinghouse queries are necessary.

Now, it’s virtually impossible for drivers with violations to obtain a job with a new employer by simply not listing the employer they worked for when receiving the violation. Furthermore, less-than-honest drivers with drug or alcohol violations can no longer pick up and move to another state to apply for a new CDL. The Clearinghouse links the driver to his old CDL, thereby, maintaining complete and accurate information.

Drivers from Canada and Mexico who transport goods in the U.S. must be listed in the database as well.

Once a driver successfully completes their return to duty process, they will be allowed to operate a commercial motor vehicle again. However, records of drug and alcohol violations will remain on file in the Clearinghouse for five years or longer if the driver hasn’t yet completed the return to duty process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my job if I refuse the random drug test at work?

If your employer does random drug tests and you’re chosen, you’re supposed to take the test. Consequently, if you refuse, your employer has the right to terminate you.

I was involved in an accident at work and tested positive for pot. I did smoke a joint the weekend before but not the day of the accident. They disqualified my workers’ comp. Can they do that?

Yes. There is no marijuana test for current impairment at this time. Therefore, having marijuana in your system leaves reasonable suspicion that you may have been impaired at the time of the accident.

I’m an owner-operator, so it’s just me. Do I have to register for the Clearinghouse and submit a query on myself?

Yes, you have to be accounted for in the database. Your C/TPA (consortium/third-party administrator) can conduct your queries on your behalf. If there should be a drug or alcohol violation, the C/TPA is responsible for reporting to the Clearinghouse.

So, do I have a right to see what the Clearinghouse says about me?

Yes. Drivers can access the database free of charge at any time. Head over to the website to get signed up.

Medical marijuana is legal. I’ve got Crohn’s disease and have medical authorization to use it. What happens if I pop positive on the test though?

Employers hold the right to make that decision. What’s your company’s drug policy say about marijuana? If they don’t stipulate allowing for medical conditions, they have no choice but to follow company policy. In most cases, employees are terminated.

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