Pre-Employment THC Metabolite Positive tests in U.S. DOT Testing can be reduced with the proper employee education.
I regularly see positive pre-employment urine drug screens for THC in DOT-regulated testing.
In most cases, the positive test is not intentional non-compliance, it’s a lack of education.
Yesterday, an applicant shared that the employer knew she used cannabis during the few months she was off work, including up to Christmas. She told me they ‘expected’ a positive test.
“I would have delayed my pre-employment test if I had known. They told me to just go for the test now.”
“Cannabis is legal where I live.”
“I only used it off duty.”
“No one told me I needed to wait until my test would be negative.”
“Why was I not told that this would lead to a costly process of SAP assessment and return to duty testing? I would have waited longer. “
I hear this more often from applicants in Canada and in U.S. states where cannabis is legal.
For U.S. DOT-regulated positions, cannabis use, whether legal or not, will result in a positive pre-employment test and an applicant who cannot be cleared to work.
Yes, it is true that applicants should understand the requirements of the jobs they apply for.
But this is clearly not always happening.
There is a cost of positive pre-employment THC tests for employers.
– Lost time recruiting, onboarding, and scheduling testing
– Delays filling safety-sensitive positions
– Additional administrative and MRO review costs
– Frustrated applicants who believed they were eligible to work
– Ongoing challenges finding qualified candidates in a shrinking labour pool
Here’s the solution:
Start education at the very beginning of the hiring and onboarding process that includes:
– DOT rules vs. state or provincial cannabis laws
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