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Employee Fact Sheet #5

Drug Testing: What Does It Mean To You?

Drug testing is one action an employer can take to see if employees or job applicants have used drugs. Drug tests can identify alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs in a person’s body. Your employer may choose to test for one or all of these substances. Employers begin drug testing to protect their workers and their workplaces from the negative effects of alcohol and other drugs.

What Types of Drug Tests Are There?

Urine Screen: The most common way to test for drugs is a urine test. This involves giving a urine sample, which goes through a series of chemical tests. The results tell whether or not leftover traces of drugs are in your body. A urine test does not tell if you are under the influence of drugs at the time of the test. It only reveals that alcohol or drugs were used sometime in the recent past. Blood Test: A blood test measures the actual amount of alcohol or other drugs in your blood at the time of the test. Alternative Specimen Tests: Alternative specimens and technologies for the detection of the use of selected drugs of abuse, include hair, oral fluids, sweat, and point of collection initial test devices (for urine and oral fluids at this time). They have been under formal, ongoing evaluation by the SAMHSA-chartered Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) since April 1997. As the result of collaboration among industry-led working groups, federal staff for the National Laboratory Certification Program, contract staff, and other national-level consultants, recommendations have been developed for proposed inclusion in the Mandatory Guidelines. The draft Mandatory Guidelines, draft 4, dated September 5, 2001, together with related resource documents and pilot proficiency-testing results are available for review at : http://www.drugfreeworkplace.gov/frames/frame_drugtest.aspx under the sub menu for workplace Drug Testing Publications, then Future Activities. Once the draft recommendations have been approved for publication in the Federal Register for public comment for an appropriate period, a final proposal will be prepared that take into consideration such public comments, for publication as the Mandatory Guidelines. Breath Alcohol Test: A breath test is the most common test for finding out how much alcohol is in the blood. A breath alcohol test does tell if the person is impaired by alcohol at the time of the test.

When You Be Drug Tested?

Below are some of the situations in which your employer may ask employees to take a drug test. Read the drug testing policy for your workplace to make sure you understand the details of the program.

Why Drug Test?

Employers set up drug testing programs for many reasons:

Federal or State Regulations: Some workplaces must comply with a Federal or State agency’s drug testing requirements. For example, the Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission are Federal agencies that require contractors working for them to set up drug testing programs. Safety Concerns: Use of alcohol or other drugs on the job can result in accidents, safety problems, and other costly mistakes. As a result, many employers choose to protect their employees and their workplace by starting a drug testing program. High Costs of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse: Research has shown that alcohol and other drug use at work costs money. Workplace drug abuse often results in lower productivity, higher Workers’ Compensation claims, more time away from work, and higher medical costs. It also has been linked to crime on the job and can affect employee mood and well-being.

Your employer may test employees for all or none of these reasons. Refer to the drug testing policy for your workplace to find out the reasons for drug testing. If you have questions, ask your supervisor, manager, or union steward for further details.

Are Drug Tests Accurate?

Yes, if they are done using the guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), drug tests are very accurate. These guidelines require that certain procedures be followed:

Chain of Custody: A chain of custody form is used to document the handling and storage of a urine specimen from the time it is collected until the time it is disposed of. It links you to your urine sample. It is written proof of all that happens to the specimen while at the collection site and the laboratory. Initial Screen: The first test done on a urine sample is called an initial screen. This test alone is not always accurate or reliable. If the initial screen is positive, a second test should be done. Confirmation Test: A second, confirmatory test (by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, or GC/MS) is highly accurate and will rule out any false positives (mistakes) from the initial screen. For a test result to be reported as positive, both test results must agree. Medical Review Officer: A medical review officer (MRO) is a licensed medical doctor who has special training in the area of substance abuse. If your drug test is positive, the MRO reviews the results, makes sure the chain of custody procedures were followed, and contacts you to make sure there are no medical or other reasons for the result. It is only at this point that the MRO may report the positive test result to the employer. Medications can sometimes cause a positive test result. If this is the case, and if a doctor prescribed the medicine, the test is reported as negative.

The DHHS requires that these and other guidelines be met for a drug testing laboratory to be certified. If you are interested in learning more about the testing procedures that your organization is using, refer to the official policy or ask your supervisor, manager, or union steward for information. You can order a free copy of the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (1-800-729-6686).

What Can I Expect When I Go For A Drug Test?

When reporting to the test site, you may be asked for a picture identification. After you provide a urine sample, the bottle should not leave your sight until it is sealed with special "evidence" tape. You should sign the label on the container. You will then be asked to sign a record book stating that the sample collected was yours. The specimen is then shipped to a laboratory for testing. If the seal is broken, or if you do not sign the container, a DHHS-certified laboratory will not test the sample.

Will I Have Privacy When Giving the Sample?

In most cases, employers ensure your privacy as you give your sample. In some cases, however, someone may need to see you give your sample. For example, if there is reason to believe that an employee has tried to tamper with the sample, another specimen may be collected with someone of the same sex watching to ensure honesty. In some cases, you may be asked to give a sample with someone watching to ensure honesty as part of a followup or return-to-work drug test.

Who Will Know the Results of the Drug Test?

Confidentiality is very important. Confidentiality means that your drug test results will be kept private, and that only persons who need to know will receive the drug test results. This might be the supervisor, manager, union representative, or someone in the medical or personnel department. Often, employees are asked to sign a release form that states who will receive the test results. A drug test is reported as positive or negative; the amount of the drug(s) found is usually not reported. Confidentiality should also mean that drug test results will not be part of an employee’s personnel file. Talk to your manager, supervisor, union representative, or employer to discuss how your organization plans to protect your confidentiality.

Will I Test Positive For Drugs If I am Around Someone Who is Using Drugs, or if I Eat Foods With Poppy Seeds?

The Addictions Research Center did a series of studies showing that the chances are very small that you could test positive for marijuana at DHHS cutoff levels after being in a room with marijuana smoke. At most, "trace" levels of the drug might be found, and this would mean a negative test result if using DHHS guidelines. Early results of studies on exposure to cocaine and methamphetamine smoke also suggest that the chances of testing positive under DHHS guidelines are small.

Because poppy seeds contain small amounts of opium, eating food with poppy seeds can cause you to test positive for opiates. MROs are aware of this, and are trained to report the test as positive only if there is also physical evidence of drug abuse.

Is Drug Testing Legal?

Yes, in most cases it is legal for an employer to test employees for drugs. No Federal laws prohibit drug testing at this time; however, some States do prohibit or restrict certain types of drug testing. For more information about your State laws, call your State Attorney General’s office. You have the right to know the details of the drug testing policy at your workplace and what your employer expects of you. If you have questions, ask your supervisor, manager, or union steward.

Where to Find Help

National Hotlines

If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol or other drugs, call these hotlines for free, confidential help.

The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s (CSAT) Drug Information, Treatment, and Referral Hotline:

Publications

The following list of readings can be ordered for free by calling the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686:

Ask for the telephone number of your State clearinghouse -- the RADAR Network -- from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.

More information about alcohol and other drug abuse can be ordered for a fee from these publishers:

Also check your local library or bookstore.

Local Resources

Look in your local telephone book for these numbers:

Alcoholics Anonymous Alateen (for children of the user) Al-Anon (for family members and friends) Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs) Narcotics Anonymous Nar-Anon (for family members and friends)

Drug Treatment Center Cancer Society Lung Association County or State Addiction or Mental Health Agency County/Victim/Mental Health Hotline Other