What Should Employers Do When an Employee Fails a Drug Test

Using illicit drugs and consuming alcohol more than the permissible limit is a crime. It can also impact the lives of the users and impact the company reputation.

Therefore, testing in the workplace is the best way to find out the potential users whether they are new recruits or employees undertaking a drug and alcohol test. This way, you are confident that none of your employees is involved in any illegal activity as you have tested them before hiring.

But it can be difficult to confirm if they have recently started consuming those banned-toxic products while working in your firm. 

Hence, the best way is to start a drive of the drug screening tests. But what if any employee gets tested positive during the campaign? 

You must be thinking about what to do with such a worker? Don’t worry; this post will help guide you about what you should do if your employee fails a drug test.

Reconduct the Test

Rather than announcing the results, it is better to make sure first if there is any mistake in the test report or not. Then, you may re-conduct the test of the employee.

Ask him to provide the sample again and transport the sample to a different laboratory for processing. If the report comes negative, there was something wrong with the first test.

But if the result remains the same, you need to move on to the next step 

The policy of the Company

If a drug test report has declared any employee positive, it doesn’t mean that you should immediately act upon it and hand over him the expulsion letter from the company. It is better to check what is stated in the company’s policy. Then, you need to call the worker and discuss the matter with him privately.

Observe his behaviour keenly, whether he takes the drug intentionally or takes them on being pressured by someone.

If you find the person is keen to become clean, you can call the rehabilitation centre for his treatment. But if he remains erratic or otherwise unwilling to cooperate during the conversation, there is no better option than to notify him of the expulsion.

However, you must give him time before the expulsion; maybe he will stop using the drugs and alcohol. But if the attitude remains unchanged, you better separate him from the staff for their safety and the company’s security.

Keep a Record

Don’t forget to keep the reports of testing in the workplace in a safe place. The expelled worker may try to sue you in court with false allegations.

So at that time, you can present the reports and record of the conversation with the employee in the court.

However, such scenarios will affect your company’s brand and reputation, but still, you have to handle it by providing all the pieces of evidence on legal grounds.

Final Verdict

It is hard to fire a person who has been loyal to you, your company, and serving you for many years. But to obey the law, for the safety of staff, security of the company, and for the organisation’s goodwill, reputation, and integrity several crucial steps should be taken.