The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced on December 27, 2019, that carriers must randomly drug test 50 percent of their average number of driver positions starting January 1, 2020. That's double the 25 percent average number of positions for required testing in 2019.The rate last changed in 2020. Lets go over how the rates changed and what that means for companies.
What’s the best tool employers have for deterring drug and alcohol use in the workplace? Random Testing. Why:
· Saves lives and prevents injuries.
· Helps employers identify workers with substance abuse issues and facilitate their treatment.
· Allows employees to easily say no to illegal drug use, how you ask "No, thanks. They drug test at work.” · Reduces employer liability.
· It is a fair way of testing
Random testing is required for safety-sensitive employees Each DOT Agency and the USCG has regulations that require certain employers to implement a random testing program. Establishing Random Testing Rates The DOT Agency that regulates a specific transportation industry sets the random testing rate. The Administrator of each DOT Agency is authorized to either increase or decrease the random drug and alcohol testing rates. To establish an appropriate rate, Administrators use information reported from the drug and alcohol Management Information System (MIS) form required by 49 CFR Part 40 and other indicators. The rates are always effective starting January 1 of the calendar year. The random rates are annual minimum requirements.
So if a DOT Agency requires a drug testing rate of 50% and an alcohol testing rate of 10%, then an employer with 100 safety-sensitive employees would have to ensure that 50 or more random drug tests and 10 or more random alcohol tests were conducted during the calendar year.
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