12 Questions When Selecting a Drug Testing Program
April 27th, 2006Twelve Questions to Ask
When Selecting a Drug Testing Program
- Which drugs are detected (SAMHSA, NIDA-5 drug panel)?
- What levels of drugs are detected?
- What is the usage time window for each drug that the test will detect?
- What regulatory agencies have approved and validated the test?
- Is this form of testing legal in the state and industry in which it would be given?
- What drug confirmation technology is used?
- Is it cost-effective and convenient?
- Are special facilities, training, scheduling fees, or travel required?
- Is it an approved and valid test, or only a drug “screen” that will require additional testing elsewhere?
- What is the turnaround time for results?
- How is chain-of-custody protected?
- How easy would it be to introduce adulterants to the sample?
Warning! Drug abusers have many options to try to “beat” a urine test. See, for instance, the Whizzinator.
Instead, consider oral drug testing, or assessments for workplace attitudes, opinions, and integrity.
- Intercept Oral Fluid Drug Testing – A user-friendly oral drug swab protocol that can be administered right in your office during the interview.
- Select Pre-Employment Screening System – Identifies hourly customer service, healthcare, call center, warehouse/distribution, entry-level sales/service providers with stable work-related personality characteristics and productive work behaviors.
- E-Net Hire Workplace Attitudes – Analyzes up to 16 positive and negative behaviors you select as being important to the job.
- Orion Opinion Survey – Measures specific job-relevant attitudes. Standard, customer service, and safety versions.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Not only should you ask the 12 questions but you should be aware of the cost of drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace. A recent study by the National Chamber of Commerce has identified the following.
The national average estimate for the cost of substance abuse to a company per user is $7,000 in lost productivity, accidents, absenteeism and replacing fired and suspended employees.
Use the following formula to estimate the cost of employee substance abuse in your business:
1. Estimate the percentage of your total number of employees that use drugs. The national average is 17 percent.
2. Multiply the number of employees you have by this percentage.
3. Multiply that by the national average cost per substance abuser ($7,000).
4. The result is the annual cost of substance abuse within your company
This is why you should drug screen your employees randomly as well as pre-employment.