Standard Drug Testing in the Workplace
Aspiring employees and current employees can be subjected to a drug test. Here are some things that you need to know about drug testing.
Most job applicants are subjected to drug testing. It can be a urine or saliva test. Drug testing can also be done with blood or your hair. IF there is a positive result in your drug test, then you can be rejected for the job you are applying for. The employer’s site or a designated clinic are the places where they conduct drug testing.
If you are already employed, you can still be subjected to random drug testing at a later date. If the employer suspects drug use in the workplace, then the employees can be subjected to random drug testing. These cases are often done in a job where intoxication is a safety hazard.
If drug testing is announced and your employer uses the cheap urine method, then it can only catch a minority of drug users. Urine drug test can easily be passed especially if you have taken the drug two to four days before the drug testing. Cannabis, however, is an exception since it takes up to 30 days for all traces of the drug to leave your urine.
Drug testing can also be done on the hair. The hair test is used in the workplace if the employer suspect drug use in the workplace. There is much more detail that can be obtained from a hair test about the history of your drug use.
Drug tests can differ from each other. Some are more thorough than others. Usually, a 5-panel drug test is done in the workplace. Cannabis, cocaine, opiates, amphetamine, and PCP are the types of drugs being detected in the 5-panel type. In some sectors, the 10-panel drug test is used. The 5 drugs mentioned above plus barbiturates, propoxyphene, methaqualone, benzodiazepines, and methadone, are the 10 drugs being tested for.
There are also instant drug tests and drug lab tests. The difference between instant vs drug lab test can be read from this useful post.
It is not good to be found with cannabis in your system after a drug test even if cannabis is legal in your state. The reason for this is that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. It could cost you your job if you test positive for THC even if you are using it for medical reasons. You can even fail a drug test if you take products containing CBD.
Whether you are applying for a job or already have a job, then make sure that you know your company’s drug policy. Being prepared for anything is a protection. If you are serious about keeping your job and doing great at it, then you should just stay away from drugs altogether.