DOT Mandated Drug Test

Posted by Affordable Evaluations on February 11th, 2021

When an employee working in a company or organization where safety regulations must be followed at all times, violates the alcohol or drug test as mandated by DOT, he must undergo a Return-to-Work Program. If a person fails or is not willing to undergo the test for a prohibited substance, a violation occurs in his name. To be able to return to his duty with the previous or new employer, the employee must go through the entire process for returning to duty as conducted by SAP.

A SAP professional who has undergone the required training and earned the credentials conducts a face-to-face substance abuse evaluation of the employee, the process of which has been laid by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The SAP makes education and treatment recommendations to the abuser. Later a follow up evaluation as instructed by the DOT is conducted by the same professional that took the initial evaluation to ensure that his recommendations have been followed. Based on the findings, the professional then provides a written report about his assessment of the employee’s condition and whether he can be employed for a job that is safety-sensitive.

DOT Testing Violation

If a driver engages in a prohibited drug or alcohol behavior or fails a DOT test, his commercial driving career is stalled until specific steps in treatment and rehabilitation are completed.

Conditions that require Actio

1. The driver tested positive, failed, or refused a DOT drug or alcohol test.
2. The driver’s alcohol consumption is known to the employer within 4-8 hours of coming to duty or on duty.
3. The driver is using a drug that affects the driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle, also known to the motor carrier.
4. The current employer is informed by the previous employers of the driver that he has a DOT alcohol or drug history.

Negative Test Result

A negative return to duty DOT test result states the eligibility status of an employee. It is on the employer to decide on whether to rehire that eligible employee back in his company or not. An employer may give his employee a single DOT drug test that will meet both the RTD and pre-employment test requirements that must be conducted under direct observation.

If an employee has violated the alcohol and drug testing rules, then the employers must provide every employee a list of the available SAPs with their names, phone numbers and addresses.

Seek Proof of Test Completion

A driver is immediately removed from performing all safety sensitive functions if he engages in a prohibited alcohol or drug behavior. Even if on dispatch, the driver must be instructed to first park the vehicle and take the test. A new employer must obtain proof if a driver has completed the SAP return to duty process after learning about of the driver’s previous violations.

Failure of this would result in the employer to pick up the return to duty process where it was left off earlier or begin it again with that employee. Affordable Evaluations has the expert help provisions that will answer your toughest return to duty DOT compliance questions following the safety, accountability, and compliance reinforcement in the country.