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Positive Test Follow-up Procedure

Follow-up Testing Protocol

An employee who has had a positive drug or alcohol test, and who the substance abuse professional (SAP) has released to perform safety sensitive work, must have a negative return to duty test before the employee can be allowed to either return to work or perform safety sensitive duties. The return to duty test is the same type of test on which the employee tested positive.

The SAP will notify the University (typically the unit's Human Resources Consultant) when an employee is released to return to safety sensitive work. The SAP will also notify the Human Resources Consultant how much and what type of random follow up testing, as required by federal regulations, is required.

The employing unit is responsible for arranging a return to duty test and any random follow up testing as follows.

  1. Complete the Test Authorization Form which instructs the laboratory what tests are to be performed.
  2. hand the employee the FEDERAL DRUG TESTING CUSTODY AND CONTROL FORM and the completed Test Authorization Form and notify the employee that he/she is to immediately go to the designated collection site and present both forms to the technician or receptionist.
    1. Note that some labs only do drug tests and others to both drug and alcohol tests. If the employee needs a drug and alcohol test, be sure to send the employee to a lab that does both.
  3. The employee must NOT be given advance notification of the test.
  4. The employee may not refuse or defer the test.
  5. If an employee refuses for any reason to go for a test, the refusal must be treated as a positive test. Contact your Human Resources Consultant (HRC) immediately.
  6. If an employee informs you that he/she expects to test positive for drugs or alcohol the employee must be sent for testing but do not allow the employee to drive him/herself to the collection site. Contact your HRC immediately.

The return to duty testing and the random followup testing are in addition to any regular random tests to which the employee may be subjedt.

As soon as the employing unit has received confirmation of a negative return to duty test, the employee may be allowed to return to safety sensitive duty

If the return to duty test is positive, immediately contact your unit's HRC.

The subsequent follow-up testing protocol and test result notification process is the same as for random testing.

Failure to Comply With Follow-up Testing Requirements

An employee who fails to comply with follow up testing requirements or who who has a positive follow up test is not in compliance with University policy and is subject to corrective action including dismissal.