Drug and alcohol testing has been expanded to maintenance-of-way (MOW) employees under a final rule by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Effective June 12, 2017, the FRA has amended its regulations to expand the definition of “employees” to include employees, volunteers and probationary employees performing activities for a railroad or a contractor (or subcontractors) to a railroad. The rule subjects MOW employees to a broader spectrum of drug and alcohol testing, such as random testing. In the past, MOW employees only were required to be tested if they died after an accident. Only those hired on or after June 12 will be subject to pre-employment drug testing.
