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Expect Technical Staffing | www.expectllc.com | 303-946-3436

New Employee Drug Testing in Colorado

Since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana use in 2012, I’ve seen an increase in the number of candidates that have failed their drug tests, oftentimes for marijuana. So to learn more about this challenge, I recently asked some of my best clients about their drug testing programs to see if I can help my candidates learn more about the process.

On June 15th, 2015 the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that an employee can be terminated for marijuana consumption, even during the employee’s free time. Here is a link to the full article http://bizwest.com/colorado-supreme-court-workers-can-be-fired-for-using-pot-off-duty/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=noco-newslettermonday&utm_term=2015-06-15

I spoke to a client of mine about their drug testing program and here is what I learned:

They test for the broad categories of amphetamines, cannabinoids (includes marijuana), cocaine, PCP, and opiates.

They use an 8 panel test, and have always tested for marijuana. My contact was not aware of their business insurance providers requiring drug testing. Their testing program was an executive and HR decision.

Here a few key points:

An offer of employment must be made to an applicant before they can be sent for drug testing. The offer can be contingent on successfully passing the drug screen (a conditional offer of employment). Urinalysis and hair follicle tests are two common options for pre-employment drug tests. Many companies use a hair follicle test (which can detect up to 90 days), but urinalysis is generally more

prevalent. Private employers have a fair amount of latitude unless they are subject to certain federal regulations such

Department of Transportation (DOT) drug-testing rules for safety sensitive positions. Employers can determine the number and type of drugs to be tested for (5 panel, 8 panel, 10 panel, etc). The testing process generally includes collection, lab analysis, and Medical Review Officer (MRO) review. If the

test is positive, the employee is contacted by the MRO and given the opportunity to discuss any prescription medications they may be taking that could affect the test result. The result is then communicated to the employer.

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Expect Technical Staffing | www.expectllc.com | 303-946-3436

My client’s company tests prior to onboarding (after the offer and contingent on passing it) and also continues with random screening during employment. The pre-employment is hair and the random is urine.

As far as I know, insurance providers cannot force employers to do testing - companies get better rates for things like workers comp if you do test, but they can't require it.

How accurate is hair testing? Hair testing is the most accurate and effective method of detecting frequent drug users. Using a small sample of hair cut at the scalp, hair analysis evaluates the amount of drug metabolites embedded inside the hair shaft.

The testing technology is designed to show the presence of drug levels which would only be consistent with the ingestion of drugs. All samples are tested using a radioimmunoassay screen. Before any positive test result is reported, the sample is subjected to a second, confirmatory test using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), considered the gold standard for forensic drug testing.

What drugs does HairConfirm™ screen for? HairConfirm™ screens for five different drug classes: Cocaine (cocaine & benzoylecgonine), Marijuana, Opiates (Codeine, Morphine & 6-monacteyl morphine), Amphetamine (Meth/amphetamine & Ecstasy) and Phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust).

What about oral drug tests? One client of mine uses an oral swabbing method to drug test their conditional new hires. They use a drug test called “Oratect”, which is a 6 panel saliva test. My advice to anyone getting drug tested?

If you think you might fail your drug test, get a test kit and test yourself in advance. They are available at most every pharmacy over the counter. And of course, if the job is important to you and your family’s well-being, do not use drugs or be around people that use them. It’s not worth the risk, or the stress of not knowing your results.

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Expect Technical Staffing | www.expectllc.com | 303-946-3436

Expect Technical Staffing is a specialty staffing and recruiting agency based in Denver Colorado with the primary mission of connecting great people to great companies. We help our clients find contractors and direct-hires, with regional and national coverage. Unlike other headhunters, recruiters and staffing agencies, we leverage direct industry experience to provide a responsive and knowledgeable service experience. More importantly, we pay special attention to your unique company culture and business goals. We specialize in the contract and direct-hire placement of:

Mechanical Engineers, Designers, Drafters Software Engineers, Developers, QA Test, UX/UI Electrical Engineers, Technicians, PE Civil / Structural Engineers, PE Manufacturing / Quality Engineers Network / System Administrators, DBA And many other technical positions!

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