Drug Testing Policies, Focus On Marijuana

A Day with DISA was DISA Global Solutions’ first annual drug testing symposium. It welcomed a number of industry experts to present on trending topics and offer advice for drug testing policies. Employers were able to better understand the marijuana laws within their state that affect their drug testing programs and hear firsthand why it’s important to create a customized policy to protect their business and employees.

Nina French, Managing Partner for the Current Consulting Group, presented “Drug Testing Policies, Focus on Marijuana,” which discussed proposed marijuana laws and what legislation may be coming soon. Nina also discussed how employers can prepare their drug testing policies to meet compliance standards.

Nina adds, “You need to be thinking about the technology that’s available, you need to be thinking about the laws, you need to be thinking about drug disclosure laws, and you need to be writing all of those things in your policy and really making some informed decisions about why you’re doing drug testing in the first place.”

What can employers do?

When designing a program, employers should define safety-sensitive roles and provide detailed job descriptions to employees. These detailed job descriptions, coupled with a prescription drug disclosure policy or Medical Disclosure Policy, can reduce your risk by requiring employees to notify you before starting any prescriptions that might impair their ability to work safely. It is highly recommended that you expand your lab panel to include prescription drugs, make sure your drug tests are read by an MRO, and communicate regularly to your employees what the drug testing policy covers.

In her presentation, Nina further expands on these five steps for a safer workplace, highlighting common issues with each step and how to overcome them.

• A clearly written policy

• Employee education

• Supervisor training

• An employee assistance program

• Drug Testing

Nina stressed that it was important to look at drug testing as an investment, not an expense, and noted the following statistics:

• The 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, Facing Addiction in America revealed that companies lose an excess of $400 billion annually due to employees’ substance abuse

• Substance use disorder treatment is effective and has a positive economic impact. It is estimated that every dollar spent on substance use disorder treatment saves companies $4 in health care costs.

• Substance abusers perform at only 67% of their potential – making them 1/3 less productive than their non-substance-abusing co-workers – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

With the ever-changing marijuana laws varying state by state, employers might find it difficult to keep up with the changes, but it’s vital to ensure that your drug testing policies focus on the legalization of marijuana for the protection of the company. Nina commented, “You want to be active with legislation, with what’s happening and what’s legal. You need to know what’s up, who’s funding it, what they’re doing, and what it’s going to cost you in both hard costs and soft costs as an employer.”

Read about other presentations from Day with DISA:

2019 Owner Survey: Employee Screening Trends & Best Practices

Creating a Drug-Free and Safer Workplace

Designing a Program That Works with Your Marijuana Laws

State Marijuana Laws & Litigation Strategies for Employers

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