Caught On the Job Everything You Should Know About Drug Screening in Employment

In our society, drug testing before being considered for a job has all but become the norm. However, with normalization of recreational drug use on the rise, so to is the average citizen finding themselves worried about their own potential drug test results. The first thing that one must ask themselves is “will I be tested?”. The answer: most likely. According to the American Management Association, approximately 62% of employers in the U.S. implemented a drug testing program with the goal of guaranteeing employee safety, complying with state regulations, protecting their organization’s reputation, and developing a drug-free environment. While this all makes sense, and these are standards that people most definitely should abide by, sometimes things happen and you might be worried about a one time use causing you to lose your chance at a career. Do not worry, as long as it was a one time use and you wait the appropriate amount of time before your application, you should be in the clear.

There is, however, another side to drug screening. Drug test results can be very useful in helping an employer determine whether or not a person is fit for the job at hand. Along with criminal background checks, drug tests are one of the quickest and most reliable ways to determine whether or not an individual would be a good fit for your company. Although there may be some push back against drug testing with the normalization of drug use, it truly is for the best. What types of drug use and how far back you are trying to look into someone’s history will change the kind of drug test recommended that you implement in the hiring process.

If looking more short term, you may prefer a urine test, especially since drugs are typically out of a person’s system within four days regardless. Additionally, when screening for drug use within the last five days, urine tests are the most accurate form of testing. Alternately, you could use a hair follicle test. The five-panel hair follicle drug test screens for amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, and phencyclidine. Sadly, these are commonly abused drugs, even within the currently employed. That is why many companies have started randomized drug screening for their employees. According to a survey on urine drug testing, nearly 75% of adult illicit drug users are employed, which causes American businesses to lose about $81 billion a year. Although the accuracy of urine testing is higher within recent detection,The primary benefit of a hair follicle drug test is the much longer detection period for drug use, which typically is up to 90 days. Although some may argue that recreational drug use has no reflection on the quality of worker or content of their character, statistics beg to differ. Employed drug users are absent from work 20 times more often than their drug-free colleagues.A slightly shocking figure, but it shows how drug test results should be taken into serious consideration when hiring for most jobs.