If you have an active drug addiction, the prospect of regular drug testing at your place of employment may be giving you sleepless nights and a bad case of the heebie-jeebies.
Nevertheless, more and more companies are turning to the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to ensure that their workers are compliant with all employment policies.
Lack of compliance with respect to the use of drugs, whether on the job or not, can mean immediate termination of employment with no questions asked.
In the past, employees with an active addiction and a drug-free workplace found ways to circumvent the drug testing requirement. Some managed to keep their jobs and maintain an active drug addiction too.
But now, with drug testing technologies becoming increasingly sophisticated, researchers have been able to develop noninvasive drug tests that are highly effective.
If you have an addiction, it’s nothing to feel ashamed or guilty about. Substance use disorder (SUD) is considered a disease by most addiction experts. Would you feel guilty and ashamed if you had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure instead?
You’re not the only one who has failed a drug test, and it happens more often than you might think. After all, addiction is not something that most people discuss with casual acquaintances. Drug use in the workplace has become commonplace. If it wasn’t, employers wouldn’t invest so much money in state-of-the-art drug detection protocols.
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Why Are Employee Drug Tests so Important?
If you work in the oil and gas industry, you already know about compulsory drug testing. New hires must pass a drug test upon acceptance of an employment offer.
Employees must also be drug tested after any on-the-job incident in which they were involved. Regular testing is performed randomly, and testing dates are determined by algorithm on the day of the test.
Regular drug testing helps employers to identify workers who may have a problem with drug addiction. These employees are not trying to cause trouble or bring harm to coworkers.
However, a steady diet of addictive drugs can cause carelessness and poor judgment on the job that increases the likelihood of someone being harmed in a workplace accident.
A DISA drug testing program in your place of business can help you screen out applicants with an active drug addiction. DISA tests also help employers to maintain a high quality work environment that encourages productivity and enhances workplace safety.
Testing positive for drugs at your workplace and losing your job on the spot is nobody’s idea of a good time. Even worse, there’s the social stigma attached to an SUD diagnosis, and it can follow you around forever.
Many employers believe that regular DISA drug testing will reduce the number of positive employee test results overall. Fewer positive test results would increase workplace safety and protect workers from harm caused by the negligence of others in a drug-related accident.
Today’s employers place a high value on drug tests that reduce the risk of hiring a worker who is compromised by the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The DISA test is difficult to beat, but if you fail it, you still have options. The best way to resolve this problem is to quit using drugs at once and check yourself into the nearest Garden State drug treatment program.
There, you will find caring addiction treatment professionals who can perform a medically supervised detox in a safe and supportive environment. After you get sober, you won’t have random drug testing anxiety disturbing your sleep anymore.
Which Drug Tests Are Most Often Used in the Workplace?
DISA drug testing is a proven methodology that can reduce a wide variety of workplace risks typically associated with employees who have an active SUD.
A company-wide policy of periodic random drug testing can reduce the overall number of employees who use drugs at work. Additionally, such a policy can help to maintain high levels of safety, productivity and employee satisfaction while on the job.
DISA drug testing has long been the industry leader and top-rated performer among workplace drug testing programs. This is especially true in the oil and gas industry.
Which Drug Tests Does DISA Offer?
DISA drug tests include urine testing, oral fluid testing, hair testing and evidential breath alcohol testing when checking for body alcohol levels rather than drugs.
Urine Testing
Most employee drug tests are urine tests. Drug metabolites remain in the body for a certain length of time after ingesting a substance. Urine tests measure the presence or absence of drug metabolites in the urine.
The urine test can detect drug metabolites even when you no longer feel the effects of the drug. Urine tests can identify the presence of metabolites from marijuana, amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, opiate prescription painkillers, PCP and more.
Hair Testing
This is a specialized drug test that can identify repeated incidents of drug use within a 90-day time frame. Hair testing can reveal when a drug was used, how long it was used and when usage ended.
A small hair sample can identify the presence of marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, PCP, and opiate painkillers.
Oral Fluid Testing
This is a fancy name for mouth swabbing. A saliva sample can disclose whether or not an employee has used drugs within 48 hours prior to the test. Oral fluid testing can disclose results immediately, and that makes it perfect for use with employees involved in workplace incidents.
Evidential Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT)
After blowing into a Breathalyzer, an EBAT test will calculate your current alcohol impairment and intoxication levels. The results are available almost instantaneously. However, the EBAT doesn’t know how long you’ve been drinking.
What If I Fail a DISA Drug Test?
Failing a DISA drug test is a serious infraction of employee conduct, but it’s not the end of the world. Nevertheless, if you fail a DISA test, it’s usually due to a drug addiction.
On a brighter note, many employers will assist you with the cost of addiction treatment. You might be granted a leave of absence if you agree to enter a drug treatment program and begin your recovery. Many employees with a substance use disorder are willing to get help if it means they can eventually return to their jobs.
Some employers offer return-to-duty programs. Employees can complete return-to-duty tests to get back to work. Unfortunately, even if you pass the test and return to work, the infraction will still be on your record indefinitely.
What Is DISA?
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is a combat-ready support agency that provides interface between the government and the military using IT and communications services.
DISA Global Solutions is a third-party administrator (TPA) of safety and compliance solutions. Their services include employee drug testing using industry-leading expertise.
We assist employers to successfully traverse the complicated and confusing landscape of employee drug testing laws and safety-sensitive hiring requirements.
DISA came together in 1966 as a way to help employers make informed staffing decisions. Our services include drug and alcohol testing, background checks, compliance requirements and financial due diligence.
DISA was initially called the defense communications agency (DCA) when it was created in 1960 in response to communication issues in WWII.
Today, DISA serves U.S. soldiers around the world by providing them with access to critical information regardless of their locations. Additional DISA services include computer hosting, data services, multinational information sharing and information assurance.
Information systems from DISA are employed across all military force operations. These operations include defensive tactics, offensive tactics, counterterrorism and humanitarian operations.
DISA’s objective is to gain information dominance using an enterprise IT infrastructure. This system is so effective that users automatically gain an advantage in combat.
Why Choose DISA Drug Testing?
- We have long-standing drug testing expertise.
- Our in-house subject matter experts educate our clients and improve departmental operations.
- We have gained widespread support for our products and services.
- Ongoing product development is based on client feedback.
- We encourage and provide support for employees who are seeking to expand their professional growth.
- Our leaders have achieved significant recognition in their respective fields.
Our solutions were created for employers who need help navigating the complex world of screening laws and compliance requirements.
Bring Out the Best in Your Organization
Setting up a DISA drug test compliance program is relatively easy, and we do all the heavy lifting. Please call us to discuss drug testing options that might be a good fit for your company.
Are you worried about failing a random workplace drug test? Have you just learned that your employer will begin mandatory DISA drug testing starting today?
Garden State Treatment Center is a fully accredited and licensed drug and alcohol treatment facility in Northern New Jersey. We offer a full roster of recovery services from partial care and medication assisted treatment to evening and intensive IOP programs.
Published on: 2023-05-31
Updated on: 2024-10-08
