The Department of Transportation employees must all follow certain guidelines and rules. If you work in that industry, you may be asked to take a DOT drug test. Take a look at this quick article to learn more about DOT drug tests.
Who Has to Take DOT Drug Tests?
Anyone, from private corporations to individuals, who are under the DOT’s authority or are under contract with the DOT will be required to take a DOT drug test. So anyone who is in the aviation, trucking, railroad, etc. Industry may be asked to take the DOT drug test, especially if they have a safety-sensitive position. Safety-sensitive positions include train engineers, school bus drivers, ship captains, pilots, subway operators, truck drivers, etc. Applicants may also have to get a drug screening as part of their pre-employment process.
Why Do I Have to Take a DOT Drug Test?
People who operate big commercial vehicles, whether they are delivering goods or bring people from one place to another, are important. We put our trust in them to ensure that they are safely driving. If a safety-sensitive employee is under the influence, they are putting their lives and other people’s lives at risk. Therefore, drug and alcohol testing is essential to keep society safe.
What If I Refuse to Take a DOT Drug Test?
A common question that people ask is “What happens if I refuse a DOT drug test?” If you refuse to take the DOT drug/alcohol test when it is asked of you, it will have the same consequences as getting a positive result from a drug/alcohol test. Depending on the company policy for where you work or where you are applying to work, the employer may have the choice to terminate you. Alternatively, they may remove you from safety-sensitive work and assign an SAP to you from SAP referral services to help you get a second chance.
How Can I Get My Job Back?
If the employer decides that you can undergo DOT Return-to-Duty process, then the SAP with substance abuse professional certification like one from American Substance Abuse Professionals may give you education and treatment ideas that you can follow. These suggestions are meant to help an employee stop abusing the substance and stay clean. Once the SAP decides that they are fit to return to work, they will submit the proper documentation to help the process get started.
However, employers and employees can greatly benefit from DOT SAP Services. Not only does a SAP help the employee stop abusing substances, they also make sure that they do not fall back into bad habits. The employee may join support groups, get follow-up drug tests done, etc. To make sure they stay on the right path. This allows the employer to have peace of mind that their employee will keep themselves and other people safe while they carry out their safety-sensitive duties.
DOT drug tests are carried out and done to safety-sensitive transportation employees to ensure everyone’s safety. Luckily, those who refuse or get a positive result may still get a second chance from their employer once they go through the Return-to-Duty process.
The American Substance Abuse Professionals has been providing top-quality and comprehensive DOT SAP Services for over 20 years. Contact us today for inquiries.
