Random Urinalysis Testing

Drug testing must be random, to prevent discrimination against certain individuals.

Some companies use random drug testing as a means of eliminating potential workplace threats caused by the effects of employees using drugs. The most common method of drug testing is a urinalysis test, which usually provides a clear summary of what has been metabolized in a person’s system within a certain period of time. Urinalysis tested for a number of drugs, including marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine, opium and cocaine. Companies will usually require an employee to submit to a drug test before beginning employment and randomly after the employee begins work.

False Positive Results

Random drug testing is not reliably accurate 100 percent of the time.

Not all drug test results are 100 percent reliable. Traces of some over-the-counter medicines, such as Advil and Nyquil, can be mistaken for heroin or methamphetamine when observed in the laboratory. Random drug testing does not always tell the complete story of a person’s drug use, due to the time frame in which the tested employee consumed an illegal narcotic. For example, if the employee took cocaine on the morning of the drug test, it would not appear in the results because of the time required for cocaine to metabolize in the person’s system. Alternatively, if the employee smoked marijuana a week before the test, the laboratory results might show a positive result even though that person no longer feels the effects of the drug.

Avoidance

Certain drinks are marketed solely for the purpose of helping someone to pass a drug test.

Random drug testing provides a better picture for employers than periodic scheduled testing, because many drinks are available that are designed to help employees cover up drug usage. Many drugstores and supermarkets sell detoxifying drinks that can dilute the presence of drugs so that they will not appear in test results. Performing random drug tests may eliminate the opportunity for employees to leave work and purchase such drinks.

Mistakes

Certain foods may cause a positive result in a drug test.

There are certain instances in which a person takes an illegal substance unknowingly. For example, poppy seeds contain opium, which is an illegal substance in the United States. If a person consumes a poppy seed muffin before taking a drug test, he could receive a false positive. If a person is about to take a drug test or knows that random drug testing is practiced in his field of work, he should watch what he eats and drinks in order to avoid undesirable drug test results.

Rights

Employers to be tested must be selected randomly, to avoid discrimination.

Usually, a private-sector employer can require an employee to participate in a drug test, as long as the employee was selected at random. In some instances, certain employees, such as union workers, are protected from having to participate in random drug testing. In most cases, the employee must submit to a random urine test, if such testing was agreed to at the commencement of that person’s employment.

Profession

Random drug testing may be necessary in certain professions.

Random drug testing is a necessity in some professions. For example, airline workers, such as pilots and flight attendants, must always be free of any illegal substances to ensure the safety of the passengers, because there is a high risk of danger if the person is not competent. Whenever the profession has a high degree of risk involved, it is imperative for the employer to monitor any possible drug usage.

References

• The 'Lectric Law Library: Drug Testing in the Workplace
• Buzzle: Random Drug Testing in the Workplace