Drug testing has shown to be the most effective tool companies can use to combat and prevent workplace substance abuse. We at Conspire! understand the vital importance of such services, and we offer everything needed for drug testing and screening.

Although there are currently no Federal laws that prohibit employers from drug testing their employees, there are various states that restrict or question an employer’s desire to do random drug tests. This is especially true if employees aren’t working in a safety-sensitive position.

The accuracy and reliability of drug testing varies based on the type of method used to test someone. For example, testing methods using sweat, blood, hair, urine and saliva/oral fluid all have different windows of detection. To ensure the most reliable result, the method of testing should be matched with the ideal detection window for the drug for which you are looking.

PCP or phencyclidine: 1 week.

Methadone: 2-3 days.

Methamphetamine: 2-3 days.

Marijuana: Chronic use: Several weeks; Casual use, 3-4 days.

LSD: 8 hours.

Morphine: 2-3 days.

Heroin metabolite: Less than 1 day.

Cocaine: 2-10 days.

Amphetamines: 48 hours.

Alcohol: 1.5 hours per 1 ounce.

Any company that is a private employer can take advantage of drug testing. Therefore, drug testing becomes an important step in the hiring process. It is also crucial to ensure a safe working environment. Since substance abuse has been proven to cause significant health and safety hazards, it’s important for employers to make sure their potential employees are drug free.

But employers are not the only ones who can benefit from drug testing. School groups can also test students. For example, coaches and teams can have their athletes tested for the presence of drugs.

The SAMHSA states that employers normally pay for any drug test they wish to administer. Employers should also pay their employees for any time they spend taking a drug test as if they were hours worked, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). However, the cost of paying employees while they are having drug testing done, as well as paying for the cost of the test itself, is well worth it in order to create a safe workplace environment.

Substance abuse can negatively affect a person’s ability to do his or her job well and/or safely. Therefore, employers must ensure their employees remain substance free. Sometimes, merely the threat of a drug test can be enough to curb an employee’s substance abuse problem. However, if it isn’t enough for them to break their habit, then they will hopefully make that choice when they find out their job is in jeopardy after they fail their drug screening.

Our goal is to help employers create safe workplace environments. Call us today at Conspire!™ to learn more about drug testing.

A private company doesn’t have to disclose their drug testing policies ahead of time. However, certain organizations are subject to Federal regulations. For example, an organization like the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has to follow specific Federal regulations like those outlined in the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing, which are also known as SAMHSA guidelines.

Thankfully, at Conspire!™, we work to remain DOT compliant, so you can feel assured that we understand any regulations that might exist for your company. Since drug test results are considered personal health information, employees sometimes have to sign a release in order for their employer to view the results of the drug test. We will let you know if you need to obtain a signed release.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) guidelines, a company can check for the following illicit drugs along with alcohol and/or tobacco:

• Phencyclidine (PCP), also known as Angel Dust.
• Opiates, such as morphine, codeine, opium and heroin.
• Cocaine, also known as crack or coke.
• THC, such as hash, marijuana and cannabinoids.
• Amphetamines, such as ecstasy, crank, speed or meth.

There aren’t regulated costs for employee drug testing. How much the testing will cost for your company depends on the number of tests you will be purchasing. It also depends on whether you are paying a service like ours at Conspire!™ to handle the process. We are happy to speak to you about how much you can expect to pay for drug testing.