Wondering what the most common employee drug testing methods are? You’ve come to the right place! There are several drug testing options that your business could choose from, but there are three options in particular that are especially common. Here’s a breakdown of those options.
What are the most commonly used employee drug testing methods?
- Urine testing — Urine samples are often used to test for drugs, in accordance with SAMHSA guidelines. Prescription and illicit drugs can be detected through this method, although the urine sample will not indicate current drug use. It is only capable of detecting drug use within a few days prior to the test. It is typically inaccurate in determining blood alcohol content.
- Hair testing — Hair sample testing is another often-used method of drug testing, as per DOT guidelines. This method is used to determine if an employee has used drugs within the last 90 days, but it is not appropriate to determine if an employee is under the influence of alcohol during the time of their test.
- Alcohol breath testing — This method is used to test for alcohol traces in the body, and measures a person’s blood alcohol content. DOT guidelines can determine if a person’s blood alcohol content level is suitable for performing job duties. This method measures an employee’s blood alcohol content only during the time of the test.
A single type of new employee drug testing may not fit every business or situation. If you want to mix and match types of testing to better fit your needs, it is possible. There are outside services available that can help you find the right combination of testing for your needs.
Seeking new employee drug testing services for your business? The Background Experts team is here to help!
Doing drug testing and background checks for new employees can be frustrating and time consuming. Fortunately, our Background Experts team can take tasks like these off your hands. Our team members have 30 years of combined experience in performing employee background screenings, and we’re fully FCRA certified. In addition to full-service DOT and non-DOT drug screening services, Background Experts offers in-office OralTox oral fluid drug testing kits. Rapid oral testing saves time and money by providing immediate results, thereby expediting the hiring process. OralTox kits return results in less than 10 minutes and with less than half the cost of traditional laboratory testing.
Our wide range of screening and drug testing services can help HR managers and hiring agents ensure that their potential employees are fully vetted and ready to get to work. Contact our team today for more information about our services or to talk to one of our background screening experts.