When was the last time you took a serious look at your company’s drug testing policy? How often does your company update your policies?
The drug testing world is constantly changing and evolving in today’s world—which means that your drug testing policy should also be updating regularly.
Having a clear drug testing policy helps protect your company and your employees. It provides clear guidance that can help you sidestep any confusing loopholes or accidents that might open up from an unclear or outdated policy.
Just as drug and alcohol testing policies are continually evolving and changing to reflect new state laws, federal regulations, or workplace attitudes. A regular review of your company’s current policy and procedures will help ensure that your company is on track to meet its goals and be legally compliant.
So what are some things you should look at or consider when drafting or updating your drug testing policy? Here are few suggestions:
MEDICAL MARIJUANA HASN’T BEEN DISCUSSED
Although an employer is generally allowed to create their own drug testing policy including the right to a drug-free workplace, with changing laws surrounding both medical and recreational marijuana there may be some nuances you should be familiar with. Check out our article talking about testing for marijuana in the workplace today here and consult with your legal team about what guidelines you should follow.
NO PROCESS IS IN PLACE TO MONITOR INDUSTRY STANDARDS OR CHANGES
After spending so much time and consideration building your drug testing policy, you won’t need to review or update it for several years, right? Wrong! Most drug testing companies advise that you should review your policy at least once a year. Laws are ever-changing and this includes background screening and drug testing laws. Make sure that your policy is up-to-date with your specific state and industry’s standards.
YOU HAVEN’T RECENTLY ASSESSED YOUR TESTING TYPE OR PANEL
We find that employers sometimes need to change their testing type or panel to best reflect changes within their company or improve their testing process. It’s a learning game and there isn’t necessarily a testing type or panel that is “best”; it depends on what options are most beneficial for your company.
Some examples of cause for change include:
-With the opioid epidemic, many employers have now updated their testing panel to include semi-synthetic opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc.) or other prescription medications.
-Some employers decide to change testing types to allow on-site testing which can help cut down on time spent for an employee to take a test.
-Other employers have had issues arise with certain drugs they hadn’t previously included in their testing panel which they then added. Or they’ve had a workplace accident occur due to drug use that has prompted them to add things to their testing program such as: reasonable suspicion training for their supervisors and post-accident testing.
At the beginning of every new year we would advise you to take some time reviewing your company’s current drug testing policy. If you have any questions about how adding or changing your current services could potentially benefit your company, please give us a call at the number above or reach out to our support team at [email protected].