1. Hiring the Right Way...Pre-Employment Alcohol Testing
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority
has a policy on pre-employment
drug & alcohol testing that states,
“Some job roles will have a
statement contained in the
position description “This is a
safety sensitive position”.
Candidates for safety sensitive
positions may be requested to
undertake a pre-employment
alcohol and drug test.”1
The
policy goes on to say that pre-
employment testing is considered
an “essential requirement” of
their obligation to provide a safe
workplace. Clearly, pre-
employment testing for the
presence of drugs or alcohol plays an important role in maintaining a substance free
workplace. However, it is only the first step.
Someone who regularly uses illicit drugs has two courses of action to choose from in
order to land a job. The first is to seek employment from a company that does not
do pre-employment drug testing. The second option is to stop taking drugs long
enough to pass a drug test, and then resume taking them once employed. Of
course, this option assumes that the job candidate knows approximately when a job
opening will become available. Therefore, pre-employment screening is most likely
to detect the severely addicted persons or those who are uninformed about pre-
employment drug testing.2
Message Sent Loud and Clear
However, despite the growing sophistication of drug users, pre-employment drug
testing is an important screening tool for the employer. As more Australians choose
to use illicit drugs, the pre-employment drug testing will detect chronic drug users,
but just as importantly it supports a drug-free workplace culture. A powerful
message is sent loud and clear before the person is hired: Employee drug use is
unacceptable, and the employer will use available technology to keep drugs out.
That still leaves the problem of dealing with people who pass pre-employment drug
screening and have every intent of resuming drug use once employed.
In fact, it is no secret that there are online forums people use to teach other
methods that will supposedly help them hide drug use. Employers using high quality
saliva and urine tests are not likely to be tricked by these methods, but the forum
messages indicate the desperate steps people will take to pass initial drug and
alcohol screening.
However, pre-employment screening is just a first step in maintaining a drug free
workplace. Since it is given with notice, pre-employment testing does not replace

2. the need to institute post-employment drug and alcohol testing. The workplace
testing procedures are then implemented on a random, post-accident, and for-
cause basis. The random procedures are needed to ensure that testing is
administered without prejudice and that workers are unlikely to be able to
manipulate the process.
Transparency Attracts the Right Job Candidates
The key to successful implementation of drug and alcohol testing policies is
transparency. Employers should use their pre-employment drug testing policies to
promote their dedication to maintaining a substance free workplace, making the
company more likely to attract job candidates who do not use drugs. In addition, the
business brand benefits from the socially responsible policies. Drug and alcohol
testing can be a contentious issue, but pre-employment testing has been almost
uniformly accepted by job candidates and unions as reasonable and necessary.
However, it should not stand alone because behaviours can change once people are
employed.
Mediscreen (mediscreen.net.au/) offers flexible and high quality drug and alcohol
screening services. The adaptability of the screening services means employers can
get results on an as-needed basis for pre-employment and post-employment
purposes.
This article has been taken from http://mediscreen.net.au/articles/?p=2222