Drug Testing in the Workplace

Drug-testing in the workplace has cause a great deal of controversy over the past few years, and yet it is a preferred practice for employers. While drug-testing can appear intrusive, a formal, written drug-free workplace program can greatly benefit the safety, health, and morale of employees. In addition, it contributes to long-term financial strength not only from improved employee productivity, but from benefits, savings, and discounts offered through workers’ compensation insurance, health care programs, and more.

A successful drug-free workplace program should incorporate the following criteria:

• A written policy that clearly outlines employer expectations regarding drug use (including consent requirements to administer drug tests)
• Training for supervisors on the symptoms and signs of drug use and their role in enforcing the company policy
• Education for employees about the dangers, health risks, and consequences of drug use
• An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide counseling and referral to employees struggling with drug problems.

The focus of drug-free workplace programs often revolves around an employers drug testing policies. For further reference, the following are the most common circumstance in which employers require drug-testing:

• Pre-Employment: Implemented to prevent hiring candidates who illegally use drugs.
• Reasonable Suspicion: Occurs when supervisors suspect drug use or a drug-free workplace policy violation through observable and documented symptoms and signs (often referred to as "probable-cause" or "for-cause" testing)
• Post-Accident: Testing after an accident has occurred to help determine whether drugs and/or alcohol were a factor.
• Random: Performed on an unannounced, unpredictable basis.
• Periodic: Scheduled in advance and uniformly administered.
• Return-to-Duty: A one-time, announced test when an employee who has tested positive has completed the required treatment for substance abuse and is ready to return to the workplace.
• Other: Follow-up testing or post-rehabilitation testing, blanket testing, voluntary, probationary, pre-promotion and return-after-illness testing.

In regards to workers’ compensation insurance, a drug-free workplace program opens up opportunities for ample premium discounts. It also can be of assistance, specifically post-accident testing, when handling and closing workers’ compensation claims. That being said, drug-testing and a drug-free workplace program are not the only employer practices that open the door to workers’ compensation savings. 


When applicable, employers can benefit from workers’ compensation premium discounts by implementing the many other programs and practices including: workplace safety program, return-to-work programs, offering employee health plans, pre/post employment physicals, scheduled safety meetings, company outings, CPR training, and more.