What types of drug screening options are there?

Many different types of tests exist to see if people might potentially be using drugs. There are two main categories of tests, “conventional” and “instant.” Conventional tests include urine, blood, hair and saliva-based tests. Instant tests include dip cassettes, saliva drug tests, integrated drug test cups and breath-alcohol tests. Some types of conventional testing may take a few hours or days to process, but they may be more optimal for your organization if you don’t need instant results.

What benefits do I get from a drug testing program?

Some employers may be hesitant to begin a drug testing program, since they’re not always incredibly efficient. However, there are many benefits to starting drug testing for potential employees and even current hires. Drug screening before employment can help you be sure that you’re making the right decision during the hiring process. It may also help you protect your organization – as the National Federal of Independent Business points out, drug users may be more likely to apply for a job at small companies, since they may not have well-established drug testing procedures. Easy ordering and online processes make it easier than ever to start a drug testing program in your workplace, making these benefits even more useful.

What are the laws surrounding drug testing?

While every state is different, you do want to ensure that you’re on the right side of the law when it comes to drug testing. For example, testing specific people in your workplace (instead of testing all employees) might potentially open you up to discrimination lawsuits. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re lawfully testing potential hires, which, in many cases, requires making a conditional offer of employment before conducting the drug screening.

While drug testing can be a great way to ensure that your office and clientele stay safe, it may also come along with a few challenges. Before you start a drug testing program at your workplace, make sure you’re well aware of the benefits and potential liabilities. This will help protect both you and your place of employment. Contact us!

The post Employer FAQs: What Is Drug Screening? appeared first on JDP.

Here are three of the biggest benefits to employee background screening.

1. An Honest Workforce

According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), candidates who had committed deviant or fraudulent acts on the job were most likely to have provided false information on their resumes as well. By weeding out these candidates early on in the pre-employment screening process, you may preemptively nip these issues in the bud. By preventing resume fraud, you also let your other employees know that you value honesty and true qualifications. This creates an atmosphere of trust between you and your employees and well as between employees. Your workers will know that no one hired took shortcuts to advance his or her career and everyone earned their spot in the company. Companies that value honesty from the beginning encourage their employees to be honest and trustworthy in every aspect of their work life as well.

2. Quality Hires

Preventing resume fraud also ensures that your company hires only the best, most qualified crop of candidates. A background screening service can uncover discrepancies and misreportings that may disqualify your potential employee. False information that can be found during verification of employment history, education, or certifications can be red flags that your candidate may not be able to handle the job for which he or she is interviewing. Hiring an unqualified person for a position is not only unfair to the company, it is unfair to the employee as well. Burdening an employee with tasks above his or her skill level will only result in that employee eventually being let go. Pre-employment checks prevent turnover. No one wants to fire an employee. Refilling a position unexpectedly can also be a hassle and a huge time investment. Save yourself the time and stress by thoroughly screening your hires beforehand. Doesn’t your company deserve the best its candidate pool has to offer?

3. Compliance and Risk Reduction

If you are in an industry such as banking, finance, security, health care, or any other state or federally regulated industry, you know that compliance is key. There are no shortcuts. Use a qualified background screening service to make sure you are not liable for fines or citations that an unqualified candidate could cause you to accrue. Background checks ensure a safe workplace. Certainly, by screening for behavioral issues you prevent liability for workplace-related incidents down the road. But even screening for small discrepancies may save your business big hassles. The US Chamber of Commerce estimates that 30% of business failures are a result of employee fraud and theft. Don’t be part of this statistic. Screen your employees and build an honest and stable workplace from the ground up.

The post Why Are Employee Background Checks Important? Learn the 3 Top Screening Benefits appeared first on JDP.