Drug Testing At Work: Know Where You Stand
At work, drug testing may be done on a yearly basis which depends on the type of company you work for. Companies that have workers do tasks that require utmost attention and alertness due to safety reasons such as driving or operation of heavy machinery are obliged to take these tests. Government employees are also under mandatory testing that dissuades employees in the use and abuse of these illicit drugs. But even with all the laws and regulations, most private companies have voluntary programs that are patterned after the government regulations that apply to their employees. Private employees have the right to refuse these drug tests and can opt to have them done by private testing facilities that are accredited by the company.
An employer must make the testing process known through announcements and have all the necessary requirements to conduct such testing. Most firms solicit the services of testing facilities who can either do the testing for them minimizing disruption of work by getting people in batches or supply the necessary personnel and equipment in-house for testing in the company’s premises. Most testing processes are done with several representatives present to assure the validity and that the rights of the employee, is protected at all times. After drug testing, all refuse that contains the spent materials, needles containers and others have to be disposed of with compliance to state regulation that categorizes them as biological hazards for they can cause disease. These are usually sent to incineration facilities rather than the dumpster for they can contain infections agents such as AIDS/HIV, Hepatitis and many more diseases that are spread through bodily fluids.
As the tests are finalized, they are to be announced privately to you and you alone keeping confidentiality protecting your rights. The medical records that the company keeps regarding your health that includes the results of theses tests are to be kept confidential from everybody else and are not to be used in anyway against you. Positive results require the company to provide or refer treatment options that are widely available all around the United States through rehab and support projects.
All throughout the process and steps that are taken in conjunction with these tests are proper and required check and balances. These are in place to ensure you get protected from inconclusive results that are not uncommon in these tests. Even with positive findings, confidentiality is still maintained and an employee has the right to refute these findings if they are false against the proper labor body with a representative from the union, company and even your attorney. If treatment has been advised, one can avail of these services for free or opt to get it voluntarily at ones expense through private rehabilitation centers.
All throughout the process is done only with the consent of the employee. If one refuses to take these tests it is your right to do so and may refer the case to your Union office. The consent form is signed prior to the testing process and is regarded as a legal consent for the company through it’s agents to perform the test. For more detailed information, refer to your local Labor Union Board, or the SAMSHA, NIDA and other related government and private web sites on the topic.
