What To Know About Workplace Drug Testing
If you have recently gotten a job with a company that requires or randomly does workplace drug testing, you may be confused about the process and the reasoning behind these policies. Oftentimes, workplace drug testing policies are put into place in careers in which drug use could cause a person to be a danger to themselves or others on the job. However, any type of workplace may put such a policy into place. So, what if your company has a workplace drug testing policy? Get to know some of the facts to be aware of regarding such policies and what to expect if you are asked to take a drug test for work.
Just Because They Ask Doesn't Mean They're Suspicious
The first thing to know about workplace drug test policies is that just because your company asks you to take a drug test, it does not mean they are suspicious that you are on drugs. They may just be asking random people to take tests. They might also be asking an entire department to do drug testing to ensure that nobody is violating the policy.
So, do not freak out if your employer asks you to complete a drug test. You are likely not the only person being asked to do so. And it does not mean that your work performance is poor or anything else that might affect your employment.
You Will Likely Need to Go for a Test Right Away
When your employer does ask you to complete a drug screening, they will likely want you to go get tested immediately. They will have a specific lab that they work with to do the tests. Some labs send a person on-site to do testing. Others require you to go to the lab office.
Either way, you will either have to go immediately or within 24 hours of being asked in most cases. This ensures that a person cannot cheat the test and try to flush their system of anything they may have taken recently.
You Should Disclose If You Are on Certain Medications
If you are on prescription medications that may show up on a drug screening, you will want to disclose that fact right away to the lab where you are getting the test. You may even want to bring your prescription bottles with you as well as your doctor's contact information to verify this fact.
For example, the medication phentermine which is often prescribed to help with weight loss can cause a positive result for amphetamines or methamphetamine on a drug test because it is in the same drug family. However, your employer cannot fire you for being on a prescription weight loss drug. You have to let the lab know, though so they are aware there may be a false positive.
Now that you know some of what you should know about and expect from workplace drug testing, you can be prepared if you are ever asked to complete a drug test by your employer.