The percentage of employees in the U.S. workforce testing positive for drugs has increased over the last three years to a 10-year high.
The results above are derived from analysis of more than 9.5 million urine, 900,000 oral fluid and 200,000 hair laboratory-based tests performed by Quest Diagnostics in 2015.
Marijuana laws are changing across the country, and having a surprisingly profound impact on employers – not just in Colorado.
In addition to the existing 24 states and District of Columbia that have legalized marijuana for medical use and the four states that allow recreational use, 13 states are currently considering legalization measures – eight of which will vote on this matter in November.
Businesses must now determine how to operate in an era when marijuana, still federally illegal as a Controlled Substances Act Schedule 1 drug, is increasingly being legalized at the local and state levels.
Many employers and job seekers aren’t sure where state laws end and federal laws begin. This has created confusion for employers and many lack a coherent policy that covers a multi-state workforce.
In May 2016, as part of an overarching rule to improve tracking of workplace injuries, OSHA dropped a proverbial bombshell by overtly implying that employers should not have blanket policies requiring post-accident drug testing.
While employers may feel that passing a drug and alcohol test is a serious, necessary and vital part of on-boarding a candidate, some candidates feel otherwise.
According to respondents, candidates who fail the tests may offer creative excuses for not passing. Here are a few creative excuses relayed to us.
A drug free workplace is not only likely a safer environment, but it can be more productive.
Hair testing has big advantages over urine testing, when it comes to laboratory positive detection rates, because there is a significant increase in the detection window with hair testing.
Today, drug-free workplace initiatives and drug testing programs are commonplace, but are these programs outdated and stuck in the past?
Workplace drug testing began in the 1980s and has been evolving ever since. But many employers haven’t kept up with the changes and have not evolved their programs to address today’s drug screening challenges.
Let’s take a look at drug testing then and now.
