Although the legalization of recreational use of marijuana is still up for debate, the courts have granted legal access to marijuana for individuals with a medical need. In response to courts requiring “reasonable access” to a legal source of medical marijuana, the…
Posts by Category: Pre-employment Drug Testing
DOT to Add Synthetic Opioids to its Drug Testing Panel
In January, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register in which it proposes to amend its drug testing program regulation to add four synthetic opioids to its drug testing panel. It also will add…
Post Accident Positivity Climbs Among American Workers
In the latest release of the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index, its senior director of science and technology noted that, over the past five years, there have been small increases in post-accident positivity rates in urine drug testing that have led to dramatic…
Medical Marijuana Comes to North Dakota: What North Dakota Employers Need to Know
North Dakota joined 28 states across the nation who have legalized some form of medical marijuana use when its Compassionate Care Act went into effect in December. The Act does not allow employees to possess marijuana in the workplace, nor does it include…
EEOC Increases Scrutiny of Employer Actions Taken Against Prescription Drug Users
Prescription drug abuse has made national news in the last few years. In March 2016, President Obama noted that “prescription opioid abuse and [the] heroin epidemic claims the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year,” and that he was taking more steps to…
Shortage of Drug-Free Job Applicants
It is no secret that the country has a drug problem and, according to Briefings magazine, that problem is increasingly spilling over into the workplace, making it difficult for employers to identify potential employees who are not using drugs. In fact, more than half…
FMCSA Finalizes Rule on National Drug and Alcohol Testing Clearinghouse
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced a final rule establishing a national drug and alcohol clearinghouse database for commercial motor vehicle drivers. The rule, which will be in effect by…
By the Numbers: Drug Detection Window by SpecimenType
Quest Diagnostics’ By the Numbers series recently took a closer look at the numbers, facts and data that impact workplace drug testing programs, examining how long drugs can be detected using a drug test. This “drug detection window” or “detection time frame” can…
The Opioid Addiction Epidemic Grows in the Workplace
It’s no secret that Americans – and their employers – have an opioid problem. The Washington Post recently shared that one-third of long-term users say they’re hooked on prescription opioids, a problem that is being addressed by the $1 billion 21st Century Cures Act….
What Does Florida’s Medical Marijuana Law Mean for Employers?
More than 6.5 million Floridians voted to approve an amendment to the state’s Constitution that allows the right for people with one or more approved Debilitating Medical Conditions to use physician-approved marijuana. Amendment 2, however, does not require any…