4 minute read
Employee Drug Test Positivity at Two-Decade High
Albert Dallao, ARCpoint Labs of Reading, PA
We have more openings than applicants and we need people!” A commonly heard employer statement over the past two years. As employee shortages continue to challenge the business landscape, many employers are relaxing their hiring requirements. Changing or relaxing requirements to pass an employment drug test may be one way of bringing more employees through the door. But a change in your employee drug testing requirements comes with risks.
In its 2022 Annual Drug Testing Report and Industry Insights Report, Quest Diagnostics, a leading drug test provider, indicated the rate of positive drug test results reached its highest rate since 2001. The data is based on testing results completed through 2001. This report also indicated that positivity rates were up over 30% from an all-time low in 2010-2012.
Nearly One In 20 Test Positive
Nationwide workforce testing results reported by Quest Diagnostics in 2021 indicate a 4.6% positivity rate among employees tested. Several drug categories saw positivity rates increase year over year including Marijuana, up 8.9%, Amphetamine (including Methamphetamine), up 7.8%, and Cocaine, up 5.0%. Opiate and Oxycodone positivity rates continued to trend downward, decreasing 19% from 2020 to 2021 with an overall reduction of 56.4% over the past five years. (See chart below.)
Marijuana Increase 8.9%
Cocaine Increase 5.0%
Amphetamine (including Methamphetamine) Increase 7.8%
Opiate and Oxycodone Decrease 19%
Should We Hire Them?
According to the same Quest Diagnostics report, preemployment positivity rates have increased 17% over the past 5 years. More alarming, the post-accident test (workplacerelated incidents) positivity rate increased nearly 42% during the same period. In 2021, post-accident positivity rates for Marijuana increased 63% and Cocaine rates increased 266.7% versus 2020. The growing rate of post-accident positive results suggests that more employers are opting to relax preemployment testing requirements and/or are willing to risk the higher costs related to more workplace accidents to gain employees.
Local Trends – Berks County
Based on random employee testing performed by local test provider, ARCpoint Labs of Reading, PA, overall positivity rates during the 2019-2021 period ranged between 7.5% and 8.5%. During the first three quarters of 2022, the overall employee positivity rate jumped to 12%. Marijuana continues to be the major contributor to these rates…accounting for 75% of the positive tests in 2021 and 87% for positive test results in 2022 (to date). For both years, Amphetamine (including Methamphetamine) and Cocaine contributed to the majority of the non-marijuana related positivity rates.
Should Employers Stop Testing for Marijuana?
A major contributing factor to the Marijuana positivity rate increase can be attributed to the emergence of Medical Marijuana access in Pennsylvania. In 2022, approximately 50% of local employees testing positive for Marijuana provided a valid Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana card.
In addition, many local employers are accommodating Medical Marijuana use in safety-sensitive job positions and/ or considering the elimination of Marijuana from their pre-employment drug test programs. While this may open opportunities for more candidates to be hired, the employer may ultimately incur more costs associated with post- accidentrelated incidents and increased encounters of “at risk” employee behaviors.
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Protecting your Employees and Your Business
A typical workplace drug testing program includes preemployment testing, post-accident testing or “post-incident” testing and reasonable suspicion testing, also referred to as “for-cause” testing. An employer may also decide to include periodic testing, return-to-duty testing, and follow-up testing as part of their workplace testing program. Random testing is usually more effective at detecting and deterring drug use than pre-employment testing because employees do not know when they may be selected for testing.
Employers and employees agree that impaired workers are a threat to the workplace, the public, and other employees. All employers should have workplace policies established that include identification of impaired employees. Training programs are available for managers, supervisors, and employees which can help with establishing a formal process for identifying and documenting reasonable suspicion situations. Also, employers need to understand the risks associated with accommodating Marijuana use. The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act provides employers with certain rights when faced with accepting or denying Employee Medical Marijuana use. Know your employer rights under this act before you decide to accommodate Medical Marijuana card holders or decide to eliminate marijuana testing. Before making any changes to your Marijuana testing policy, consider reviewing the changes with your workman’s compensation provider.
Employee illicit drug use is trending on the rise! Once you make the decision to eliminate or change your drug testing requirements, it is nearly impossible to reverse that decision.
References:
Quest Diagnostics 2022 Drug Testing Index Report (www.questdiagnostics.com/business-solutions/employers/ drug-screening/knowledge-center/drug-testing-index) ARCpoint Labs of Reading PA (www.ARCpointLabs.com/Reading)
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