Positive Drug Test Results

clarkbar

For those of you who have a random drug testing program, do you wait for a written confirmation of a positive test result before terminating the employee(or sending them for treatment), or do you terminate on a verbal result from the tester? We refer our employees for treatment after a positive result but put them on LOA until we have confirmation from the treatment center that they are fit for work. We have always waited for a written confirmation before putting them on LOA but that could take several days and allowing them to work in the meantime seems wrong. Thanks for your help.

ray a

Our policy is to terminate an ee immediately when they test positive for drugs. I base it on a phone call from the health care provider - a doctor specifically. The doctor has already talked to the ee by the time he has called me, so the ee is aware of what is going to happen. I do not want them around to cause any harm.

POPEYE

Ditto to Ray. When I get the verbal the MRO has already contacted the EE so it really comes as no surprise to them when their supervisor advises them of the results and the termination.

Don D

clarkbar: I have worked in situations where there was NO mro in the equation and the company got the results directly from the lab. In the case of positives, we were telephoned with the result and we had them fax the result immediately to a secure fax and follow it up by sending the original hardcopy by regular courier.

Beave

We don't have any employees here that we test, but my former employer did, and Don's procedure works!!! You then have a verbal and a hard copy with the original being mailed. That way you may take immediate action with something concrete in your hand. WE then gave them the option to participate in our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) on suspended leave (we don't have an EAC program where I'm at now) or face termination from the positive results. I would feel MUCH better with the paper in my hand when administering the disaplinary actions.

Dasher

Yes, ours is like Don's and faxed -- I want to see the report but the original can be mailed to me later. We suspend pending further investigation (most employees drive our vehicles). We have worked with a couple of cases, depending on the substance found and prior disciplinary problems.

Generally a termination will follow a positive random drug screen, and for that a copy of the test is required to be given to the employee. They can also request the sample retested, but they must pay the cost -- $150. I have never had anyone ask.

Pork

An initial report from the technician in the MRO's office where the random drug test was conducted with an "all clear" or "the sample must be sent to another lab" tells me to kick in an appropriate response of you may return to your normal duties or you are hereby suspended from your duties pending receipt of confirmation of a positive or negative test result in writing. In both positive result cases in the last 5 years both have admitted they had been caught and now wanted to claim EAP, which we have denied because it was after the fact and not before the testing commenced. Both quit on the spot and termination was executed and neither has returned for re-hire!

Hope this helps!

PORK