Employers seek job applicants or employees who are reliable and hardworking. However, there are large numbers of drug abusers employed in the US. Employee drug abuse can cause serious problems to a company. The facts such as, drug abusers cost over $100 billion every year to the employers and 65% of all work related accidents are due to drug abuse emphasizes the importance of employee drug testing.



There are four main types of drug tests, which are used by employers to test drug abuse in job applicants or employees to make work place safe, productive, and drug free.

Pre-Employment Tests:

Pre-Employment drug testing is vital as it filters the drug abusers before entering the company. This test is inexpensive and costs less to the employer, as only one test has to be performed. Thus, blocks drug abusers entry and help employers to create drug free work environment.

Post-Accident Tests:

The employees under the influence of drugs mostly cause work place accidents. Post-accident drug tests reveal whether the person was under the influence of drugs or not at the time of accident. These tests help the employers to pluck out the drug abusers and to protect the company from liability.

Random Drug Testing:

Random Drug Testing is the most common and effective method of drug testing. Today, 23 of the 50 States use this method. In this method, one or more individuals are selected through a random process for drug test. The goal of Random Drug Tests is to reduce, discourage, and deter drug abuse by the employees. It makes people say ?NO? to drugs.

Reasonable Suspicion:

Reasonable Suspicion Drug Test is done when a person is observed to be under the influence of drugs at work place. Reasonable Suspicion Drug Tests help to immediately identify the drug abuser, avoiding any loss at work further. This type of test discourages the employees to by under the influence at workplace.

Drug testing is becoming important with the increasing number of drug abusers at work place. These tests protect the company from liability, discourage, and deter the employees from drug abuse, which results in enhanced productivity of employees and the organization as a whole.