So, you take a drug and/or alcohol test. Great. Now what?
It’s easy enough to walk into a clinic, receive a drug and alcohol test, and then leave for the day. However, what happens when the test result comes back? With the result being either negative or non-negative, what does it mean for the employee and employer?
Firstly, to understand both terms, a negative result means that nothing was found in the person’s system, while a non-negative result means that something was. Pretty easy to figure out what happens when you get a negative result back as it is back to work for you, but what happens if the latter occurs?
What happens if you receive a non-negative result? This is a question that many employees and employers think about. Here are the general steps for testing that take place:
When a substance abuse issue has been identified through a testing program, and a company is committed to ensuring a safe workplace, a return-to-duty service may be appropriate. Such services ensure that the employer is doing their due diligence required to maintain a safe workplace.
Here is what a return-to-duty service provides:
It is worth noting that this is not a short process. Even if the employee successfully completes substance abuse treatment and is back on the job, due to the fact that recovery from substance use disorders is an ongoing process, employers must keep up with compliance monitoring. What this means is when an employee is back to work, the employer(s) should provide follow-up testing that is not revealed to the employee prior to test time. This ensures program compliance is maintained. Throughout this whole process, it must be clear that confidentiality is key. Respecting people’s privacy, and keeping information about their substance use issues confidential, is critical in ensuring full cooperation and trust.
At CannAmm, we know that drug and alcohol testing can seem to be an inconvenient requirement for some, but the fact is that employment drug testing and occupational health testing really does improve workplace safety. Our commitment to helping those we test to do their job safely is done by:
So, even if you do end up receiving a positive result, know that the road does not end there. There are resources available to help get you back on your feet, and back on the job, in a safe and effective manner. After all, everyone has the right to get home safe at the end of the day.