Why Pre-Employment Drug Testing is a Must in the Trades
While most companies in the trades consider testing new employees for drugs before letting them begin work, not everyone does it. The excuses vary, but we commonly hear that it’s hard enough to get new employees without adding extra hurdles, and that companies just aren’t sure how to respond to the results of a drug test (especially if positive for marijuana).
Here’s an overview of what’s involved in pre-employment drug testing and why companies in the trades REALLY need to be using them.
What is a pre-employment drug test?
An applicant is given a tentative job offer, pending successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening. The applicant goes to a specific testing facility chosen by the company and takes a drug test, and the company waits for the results before putting the new employee to work.
As a reminder, we recommend that you run a background check for every new hire, in addition to a drug test.
What are the benefits of doing a pre-employment drug test?
Just a couple reasons we recommend you test:
Link to Criminal Behavior. When an employee engages in criminal activity, we’ve found it to be connected to drug use as often as 90% of the time. You don’t want to ignore this potential liability.
Drug Use is More Common than You’d Think. Pre-employment drug testing isn’t just about going through the motions. From our own client base we hear frequently about job applicants testing positive for high-risk substances like Fentanyl, methamphetamines, and amphetamines. This isn't just a hypothetical issue.
Legal Risk. You’re at risk for a negligent hiring practice lawsuit if you don’t conduct pre-employment drug tests and background checks. This could cost your company tens of thousands of dollars or more, plus the damage to your brand reputation. This is especially important for residential service providers who send employees into customers’ homes. Let's say you don't test and therefore overlook a new hire's narcotics addiction. One day, this employee is caught stealing valuables and prescription medications from a customer, then assaulting the homeowner when confronted. Now YOU are presented with a civil lawsuit for not doing due diligence and for putting the general public at risk. Not where you want to be.
What if an employee tests positive for marijuana?
Your company can choose what it will tolerate. If an applicant tests positive for marijuana, especially in states where recreational use is legal, it’s become common for companies to “look the other way” and rely on company policies to prevent on-the-job-use, like they do with alcohol. You should not avoid all pre-hire drug testing for fear of being forced into a decision based on a positive test for marijuana.
What if you let the employee start working while you wait on test results… but then the test comes back positive?
Unfortunately, this is legally risky territory. A “pre-employment drug screening” must be fully completed before the applicant begins work. Once an individual starts working for you, he/she is officially an employee, and any decisions are no longer “pre-employment” but fall into the murkier waters of reasonable suspicion/random drug testing, which come with their own challenges. Thankfully, results from drug tests are usually fast so you shouldn’t have to wait long before allowing the new hire to begin. In our experience, if drug test results take more than a day, it’s because there was a potential positive result that needs to be confirmed in a different laboratory or else examined for a possible connection to a medication. Long delays in drug testing are an even better reason to hold off on the employee’s start date.
Pre-employment drug testing is a financial investment with real, tangible benefits. It’s a way to make sure your new hire will be an asset to your company, not a liability. As we like to say, “Having a warm body on the job is sometimes worse than having no body at all.”
Reach out if you have any questions.
