By doing intensive research on the DO’s and DON’Ts of drug testing, a club can easily formulate a policy that will work best for the operation and the employees.
A drug testing policy is a systematized principle created as a guide to a club’s drug testing policies and procedures. Through a drug testing policy, proper implementation and investigation are conducted to make sure employees are free of illegal substances which can affect not only a certain individual but the image of the entire club. A drug testing policy is tailored according to a club’s needs and employment policies. The goal of the drug test policy is to list the procedures of the drug test and to create specific penalties for employees caught having illegal substances within their system.
Nowadays, most companies drug test employees per their policies with a surprising number of states also requiring companies to conduct these screenings as part of the pre-employment process. When considering any employment screening program, a club should look at several critical factors that a screening program affects.
Clubs need to consider the cost, risk mitigation, speed of screening, and candidate experience. It is important for clubs that value risk mitigation to consider a drug-free workplace program. Drug testing is effective in preventing accidents, health issues and costs, absenteeism, litigation, protecting employees from injury, and improving productivity. However, drug testing can also be expensive, slow down the hiring process, and negatively affect the candidate experience.
Generally, clubs choose one or more of the following times to drug test: pre-employment, randomly, post-accident, and when observable behaviors trigger reasonable suspicion.
Random drug testing enables a club to randomly test employees for the use of narcotic substances. Random drug testing is believed to be the most effective method since screenings are not previously announced and employees are unable to detoxify their bodies for the purpose of gaining successful results. Also, the selection of employees is usually performed electronically to avoid discrimination, thus providing equal probability for individuals to be summoned for such screening.
For cause, drug screening is only required in cases where employers have a valid reason to suspect narcotic use in employees. The request for such testing is from the suspicious behavior of an individual at work, such as tardiness, frequent absences, or a drop in performance.
Lastly, post-accident drug testing is required following an accident or injury that has occurred during working hours. While clubs cannot force workers to agree to drug testing, their refusal will most likely impact their employment status or their chances of getting the job.
Every state has different laws regarding drug testing. Nevertheless, when creating a club’s drug testing policy it is important to list the goals a club wants to achieve from testing, to identify the procedures of the testing policy, and to make all consequences or penalties known to employees and candidates.