What should you say to your employer if you fail a drug test? Be honest, express your willingness to comply with company policies, and discuss any steps you are taking to address the issue, such as seeking treatment.
You should disclose all questionable foods and medications that you have taken recently that may impact drug test results. Some medications may remain in your system for several days or even weeks after your last use, so you should include medications that you may no longer be taking.
To challenge a positive drug test result, you can request a retest or a confirmatory test, such as GC-MS. Provide documentation of any prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, or supplements you are taking, and consider consulting with a lawyer if necessary.
When approaching how to explain a failed drug test, strive for honesty and transparency. If you believe the test result is a false positive, you may ask your employer what options are available to retest or have the results reviewed by a medical officer.
Generally, and with some exceptions, when an employee fails a drug test, Section 1025 of California's Labor Code allows employers to fire or refuse to hire them.
A failed drug test may be noted in the records of the employer that requested it, but they typically keep this information confidential. However, the results of a positive drug test for certain positions, such as those regulated by the Department of Transportation, may be available for future employers to see.
In most cases, you are entitled to request a retest. However, most drug testing protocols require the lab to retest the same sample. While this is helpful in situations where there was contamination, the better option is to provide an entirely new sample, if that is allowed.
The most common false positive drug test is for amphetamines, which can be triggered by over-the-counter decongestants, the nasal inhaler Benzedrex, the antidepressant Wellbutrin, and the weight-loss supplement Acutrim (WebMD).
Typically ingesting 1-2 liters or more within an hour of testing is sufficient to dilute most specimens for a 2–6 hour period. Diuretics such as caffeine and cranberry juice and some medications, including water pills may cause diluted urine samples.
In most cases, failed drug tests do not appear on background checks. Privacy laws, such as HIPAA, protect medical information from being shared without an individual's consent, and employers, especially in private companies, typically do not disclose such results.
Drug detection times
Barbiturates: 2-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood. Benzodiazepines: 3-6 weeks in urine and 2-3 days in blood. Cannabis: 7-30 days in urine and up to 2 weeks in blood. Cocaine: 3-4 days in urine and 1-2 days in blood.
Your refusal to submit to a drug or alcohol test is generally equivalent to testing positive to a drug or alcohol test.
Some known chemicals include, salt, soap, bleach, peroxide and eye drops. Most drug testing machines have the ability to detect specimens with chemicals, tagging them as invalid. However, not all adulterants are detected.
Drug screening results can negatively affect many circumstances; therefore, accuracy is of the utmost importance. Some data suggests 5% to 10% of all drug tests may result in false positives and 10% to 15% may yield false negatives.
The DOT gives an employee who tests positive for drug use to dispute the result within 72 hours of learning of the positive result. When a test result is disputed, a second, more in-depth, test is performed. The employee doesn't provide a specimen for the second test though.
The specimen bottle seal is broken or shows signs of tampering. There is an insufficient amount of urine in the primary specimen bottle (30 mL in bottle A) and the specimens cannot be re-designated. A CCF arrives to the laboratory without a specimen. A specimen arrives to the laboratory without a CCF.
How to explain a failed drug test? If you fail a drug test, it's important to be honest and direct when explaining the situation. Acknowledge the result, explain any mitigating circumstances (such as prescription medications that may have caused a false positive), and take responsibility if applicable.
Steps to Take After Failing a Drug Test: Actions include requesting a retest, understanding your rights, seeking rehabilitation, and preparing for future tests.
Labs using specimen „validity‟ or „adulta-checks‟ can detect pre-collection and post-collection dilution.
Article at a Glance:
Even though the effects of THC only last a few hours, traces of it can stay in the body for weeks or months. You could fail a drug test between 30 to 90 days after using marijuana depending on if urine, blood, or hair follicles are tested.
Yes. When a violation is entered, the Clearinghouse associates it with a driver's commercial driver's license (CDL) information. This will be recorded even if the driver has not registered for the Clearinghouse.
The accuracy of these products is variable. They generally are less sensitive than the formal tests done in a laboratory. This means that a home test could be negative, but a laboratory test could be positive with the same sample.
Urine drug screen results usually come back within a few days or on the same day. If a result is positive, a person may need to take a second test for confirmation. This may be a GC-MS test, which gives more accurate results. The person who carried out the test or a medical review officer will explain the results.