Abhishek Agarwal asked:


This is a mini handbook on how to perform drug tests on employees. The information presented in this handbook will be of great help to companies who wish to organize drug-screening programs for its workforce and, in some cases, also for its prospective employees.

Drug abuse among employees can cost companies a lot in terms of time and money because drug abusers can absent themselves often and engage in illegal activities such as theft.

Several companies now demand that their employees submit to a drug test because this has been found to be a cost-effective method of managing employees. By spending only 50-70 dollars on a single drug test, companies might avoid having to spend several hundreds of dollars on time lost, accidents, health care, and compensation.

First, you will first learn about the method of performing a drug test. There are two ways to do a drug test or a drug examination.

Laboratory Test

Employees can be requested to go to a certified laboratory to get their urine tested. The results will be available within a day. If the results of the urine test is positive, the urine is further analysed to find out the particular types of drugs that were used.

Drug Test Kits

Companies can purchase one of the instant drug test kits that are available in stores and perform a drug test in the office itself. Instant drug test kits are inexpensive, but they are just as reliable as laboratory tests. In case a test turns out to be positive, the employees should be asked to go to the laboratory to get a detailed analysis of their urine.

Types of Drugs
Now that you know how to conduct a drug test on a prospective employee, it is time to know the different types of drugs you are have to test for. Usually, employers test their employees for usage of five commonly available drugs such as amphetamines and methamphetamine, PCP, marijuana or THC, opiates such as codeine and morphine, and cocaine.

Drug Retention

The time taken by a person to retain a particular drug within his or her system varies from individual to individual. Generally, drugs stay in a person’s system from two to four days. Some drugs such as marijuana and PCP can remain in the system for around 14 days. Sedatives such as valium can remain in the system for about a month.

You could also try an expensive drug testing method, such as hair testing, to detect drugs that can remain in the system for around three months. Some companies also perform ten-panel drug testing, which could include testing for legal prescription drugs such a valium. Companies can also test a prospective employee for alcohol.

Employee Methods to Escape Drug Testing

Employees who are into drugs try several methods to escape a drug test. They could even attempt to manipulate their urine samples.

Companies can prevent such cases by requiring employees to provide urine samples within a certain time period. This will deter employees who are attempting methods to make the drugs leave their systems. Some of the drug tests might appear negative, but, at the same time, reveal suspicious abnormalities that, on a further test, would uncover traces of drug abuse.

Drug abuse among employees can also lead to a decrease in productivity and an increase in violence. Conducting drug tests of employees every now and then is the only, and the best way, to avoid such problems at the workplace.



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Abhishek Agarwal asked:


The indispensable tools for this screening are pre-employment background screening, and employment verification.According to the American Council for Drug Education, employees who abuse drugs or alcohol are:

a) 10 times more likely to miss work

b) 33% less productive

c) Nearly 4 times as likely to be involved in on-the-job accidents

d) 5 times more likely to file a workers’ compensation claim

e) 3 times costlier to the U.S. healthcare system

f) Responsible for 40% of all industrial fatalities

Pre employment drug screening programs help to protect the health and safety of all employees, and minimize the costs associated with having drug abusers on the payroll. Pre employment drug screening helps to provide early identification and the ability to refer employees with substance abuse problems for treatment. The Pre employment drug screening programs that are integrated with drug education and treatment not prove to be an effective way of managing substance abuse, but also a valuable tool in achieving positive employee relations, delivering significant cost savings, and providing corporations with a competitive advantage.

However, Pre employment drug screening does not go without controversy. The problems that are directly attributed due to substance abuse are rising causing employee turnover, absenteeism, tardiness, on-the-job accidents, health benefit utilization and costs, workers compensation claims, inventory shrinkage and employee theft, lowered productivity and workplace violence.

Drug screening can be used in other applications like testing teens for drug abuse. You can do a high school drug test or athlete drug test. Drug testing in prisons, probation drug testing, juvenile drug testing can also be done. Substance abuse rehabilitation drug testing can be done in treatment centers and rehabilitation centers. Thus, Pre employment drug screening test can be conducted at various places and help you check the levels of drug intake either by potential employees, teens or any one.

Can I beat Pre employment drug screening and pass?

No, the best way to pass drug testing is not to do drugs at all or at least lay off them for awhile before testing. But the problem with pre-employment random drug testing is, you don’t know when your prospective employer will pull your name from the hat. Your prospective employer might not be required by law to give you much advanced notice, as that obviously blows the whole idea. Even with advanced notice, drug testing can detect drugs for days to weeks, depending on the drug, frequency of use, specimen and test type, metabolism, and other factors.



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