The U.S. Dept. of Transportation reinstates the requirement for direct observation of all return-to-duty and follow-up drug tests for transport workers.

The DOT rule was stayed by the D.C. Read more

A U.S. Dept. of Transportation rule requiring the direct observation of follow-up drug testing is constitutional, says the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Read more

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has issued a notice rendering its rule on the direct observation of urine specimens in second collections for transport worker drug tests to be voluntary rather than mandatory.
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Responding to the outcry from union and transportation groups, the U.S. Dept. Read more

Employers who are subject to U.S. Dept. of Transportation drug and alcohol testing requirements for drivers and other transit workers will be required to ensure that second collections of urine specimens take place under direct observation, according to a DOT rule that will be implemented on August 25.
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The percentage of positive tests for methamphetamine among U.S. workers and job applicants dropped more than 22 percent between 2006 and 2007, reports Quest Diagnostics, a national drug testing service. Read more

Most of the nation’s 16.4 million current illicit drug users and 15 million heavy alcohol users hold full-time jobs, according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Read more

HEC members who don’t have Dept. of Transportation or Dept. of Defense mandated drug testing may be interested in viewing a sample policy designed for regular job applicants and employees. See the model policy

Check out the Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations resources for employers in developing a drug free workplace program. Included is a publication made available by Laulima Hawaii on the supervisor’s role in addressing suspected drug or alcohol abuse.

The U.S. Department of Transportation proposes to amend provisions of its workplace drug testing procedures to make them consistent with new requirements established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Mandatory Guidelines.
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Two U.S. Dept. of Transportation rules go into effect Feb. 25, of which authorizes employers in the DOT’s drug and alcohol testing program to disclose to State commercial driver licensing authorities the drug and alcohol violations of employees who hold CDLs and operate commercial motor vehicles, when a State law requires such reporting. Read more