Everything You Need to Know About the Pre-Employment Drug Test

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As the economy has improved and unemployment rates have dropped, companies are more likely to hire people (especially those with relevant skills). However, companies have to make sure that the employees they hire are not on drugs in today’s world. Testing for drugs is a vital part of pre-employment drug screens.

Pre-employment drug screens are designed to test for the presence of drugs in an individual’s body. The most common pre-employment drug screen involves a urine sample. A company will usually offer the applicant a chance to provide a urine sample at the time of the interview, or it may ask that the applicant provide a sample during the actual job interview.

The employer will usually pay for all testing costs, except for any costs that might be incurred by the individual who is being tested. The employer will have to cover all expenses associated with providing and administering the test, as well as any expenses that might be incurred by testing facilities or laboratories. The company may also have to pay for other tests that are not related to drug screening but are required in order to make sure that an individual is eligible for employment.

If an employee refuses to provide a urine sample, he or she may still be considered eligible for employment and can be hired, but only if another suitable candidate can be found. If an employee fails a pre-employment drug screen, he or she is not likely to be hired again in that particular company unless another candidate can be found who has passed a similar test (or is willing to take one).

A pre-employment drug screen is not the same as a post-employment drug test. A post-employment test is designed to determine whether an individual was impaired by drugs during the course of employment. It does not look for drugs that were taken before or after working for a company. A post-employment test is often required if an employee has been terminated for reasons related to drug use or if an employee has been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). You should be ready for a pre-employment drug test when looking for a job.

A company may also have a pre-employment drug screening policy that applies only to certain positions, such as those in which there is a high potential for danger on the job, such as those involving handling hazardous materials or in which there are heavy workloads and long hours. In these cases, companies may have special requirements and procedures that are different from their general pre-employment testing policy. If this is the case, it will be noted in the hiring process and explained to applicants.

A company must have a written pre-employment drug screening policy so that it can be easily understood by all employees who are being considered for employment by the company and all applicants who are being considered for employment by the company.

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Gustavo Paiva
By Gustavo Paiva

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