Winter 2005 e-Update

In This Issue:

* Drug Testing Not An Option
* New Oral Drug Testing with ESS
* What Will Car Thieves Think of Next?
* State MVR Fees Waived for Government Entities
* New Connecticut Law on Criminal Records
* Contacting The Current Employer
* Holiday Hours at ESS

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Drug Testing Is Not an Option in Today's Workplace Environment - From PRWEB

When it comes to workplace substance abuse, small businesses have major disadvantages. They are less likely to have programs in place to combat the problem, yet they are more likely to be the "employer-of-choice" for illicit drug users. Employees who are unable to adhere to a drug-free workplace policy seek employment at companies that don't perform pre-employment drug testing (or don't have policies in place). The cost of one error caused by an impaired and/or under-the-influence employee can seriously devastate a small company.

(PRWEB) November 17, 2007 -- When it comes to workplace substance abuse, small businesses have major disadvantages. They are less likely to have programs in place to combat the problem, yet they are more likely to be the "employer-of-choice" for illicit drug users. Employees who are unable to adhere to a drug-free workplace policy seek employment at companies that don't perform pre-employment drug testing (or don't have policies in place). The cost of one error caused by an impaired and/or under-the-influence employee can seriously devastate a small company.

According to the US Department of Labor, among the population of full-time employed current illicit drug users:

44 percent work for small establishments (1-24 employees)
43 percent work for medium establishments (25-499 employees)
13 percent work for large establishments (500 or more employees)

In addition, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, illicit drug use among youth ages 12-17 continues to decline, however, the baby boomer generation has increased. Adults who are 50 to 59 years of age, have increased their involvement with substance abuse from 2.7 percent to 4.4 percent between 2002 and 2005.

You Bear the Brunt of the Problem

Everyone involved in owning and operating a business pays for workplace alcohol and drug abuse. Some costs are obvious, such as higher insurance premiums, increased absences, accidents and errors. Others, such as low morale and high illness rates, are less apparent, but the effects are equally harmful both economically and to the reputation of the organization.

The US Dept. of Labor reports one in five workers had to work harder, redo work or cover for a co-worker, or have been put in danger or injured as a result a fellow employee's drinking.
Up to 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.
Alcohol and drug abuse has been estimated to cost American businesses roughly 81 billion dollars in lost productivity in just one year--37 billion due to premature death and 44 billion due to illness. Of these combined costs, 86 percent are attributed to drinking.
Alcoholism is estimated to cause 500 million lost workdays annually.
Of callers to the National Cocaine Helpline, 75 percent admit to having used drugs on the job, 64 percent report that drugs have adversely affected their job performance, 44 percent say they have sold drugs to fellow employees and 18 percent say they have stolen from coworkers to support their drug habit.

Substance Abuse and Drug-Testing Policies

Drug-testing policies protect both employees and employers. It is important for employers to note that drug testing without a drug-testing policy--even if an employee is suspected of having substance abuse problem--exposes them to a number of significant liability and legal vulnerabilities. Employers should also note that sharing their policy with all employees is essential, and many businesses find it helpful to ask for feedback from employees during the initial policy development stage.

Workplace Drug Testing

Under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, some Federal contractors and all Federal grantees must agree to provide drug-free workplaces as a condition of receiving a contract or grant. Under most circumstances, employers have the right to test prospective and current employees for a wide variety of substances.

However, it is important that employers familiarize themselves with the various state and federal laws that may apply to their type of business before designing and implementing substance abuse and drug-testing policies. The majority of employers across the US are not required by law to test, and some state and county governments have statutes that limit or prohibit workplace testing.

Employers should make appropriate use of drug testing, and make sure that their policies and procedures are in compliance with state and federal laws.

By George J. Ramos, Jr

ESS Offering Oral Drug Testing

One of the complaints about urine drug testing is the time it takes for the applicant or employee to go to the clinic to provide the specimen. It can be especially costly if you have to pay the person’s wages during the process.

ESS has a solution - Oral Drug Testing!

When Oral Drug Testing first became available most of the products were hard to administer and the validity of some of the test results were questionable. Now, with new technology Oral Fluid Testing is as accurate as urine testing. And it actually detects some drugs faster because they don’t have to circulate through the body in order to show up.

With the new The Intercept® Oral Fluid Drug Test the applicant puts a small swab in his/her mouth for two minutes. The swab is then inserted into a special vial. The vial is sealed and placed in a shipping box and sent to the lab. It's that simple. As with urine testing, results are available within approximately 24 hours. As with the urine testing, the results are back 24 hours after the lab gets the results.

Which drugs can you detect in oral fluid?
The Intercept® oral fluid drug testing service, can detect the NIDA-5 drug panel (marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and PCP) which represent the most common drugs requested by employers for workplace drug testing.

The Intercept drug screening is NIDA certified and Ecstasy is now included with the normal NIDA-5 panel test.

How does the detection window for oral fluid testing compare with other methods?
Just like traditional urine testing, the window in oral fluid testing is different for each drug. Fluid testing identifies recent usage - during the first four hours after drug use - that can be missed by urine testing. For most drugs, the window of detection in oral fluid is about one-to-three days. By contrast, urine testing detects drug metabolites retained in the body's waste supply and may identify some drugs for a longer period.

For employees or applicants who will be taking the test at your company office or a local clinic, oral testing has the advantages of preventing tampering and eliminating dilution or masking agents that are commonly used by drug users to pass urine tests. For applicants who are located remotely and won’t be coming to your location then having them schedule a urine test at a clinic near their home is preferable because regardless of the method drug testing needs to take place in a controlled environment.

If you are interested in making the switch to Oral Fluid Testing, or if you don't have a drug screening policy and would like to start one, just send an email to DrugScreening@employscreen.com and we'll be happy to get you setup.

What Will Thieves Think Of Next?

This article doesn’t relate to employment screening per se but it is about security and protection. We think you’ll find it interesting and useful.

It seems that car thieves have found yet another way to steal your car or truck without much effort at all. The car thieves peer through the windshield of your vehicle, write down the VIN # from the label on the dash and go to the local car dealership with forged ownership documents to request a duplicate key based on the VIN #.

The automobile dealer’s parts department will cut the key on the spot; and they can order a keyless device if so desired. The key will be made based on the VIN # only. The dealer will collect payment from the thief who will then return to your car. He doesn’t have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local “chop shop” with your vehicle. It really is that easy.

To avoid this happening to you, simply put some tape (electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) or a 3x5 index card across the VIN metal label located on the dash board. By law, you can’t remove the VIN but you can cover it so it can’t be viewed through the windshield by a car thief. It’s a simple but effective remedy.

State MVR Fees Waived for Government Entities

ESS clients who are a city, county, state, or federal entity may not have to pay state MVR fees when obtaining driving records on their applicants and employees. Depending on the state, a state registry fee ranges from a few dollars up to $18 per record. This is in addition to the $7 MVR processing fee charged by ESS. Government entities may be exempt from the state’s fee; the ESS fee would still apply.

If you are a government entity and have a need to obtain driving records on any of your applicants or employees, simply send ESS a statement on your government letter head that gives your reason for obtaining MVR’s. You may fax, email, or mail the letter to:

            Bruce Weaver
            ESS MVR Specialist
            627 E. Sprague Ave
            Suite 100
            Spokane, WA 99202
            1-800-321-2905 (fax)
            brucew@employscreen.com

It may take up to two weeks for approval. Please call us if you have any questions. 1-800-473-7778.

New Connecticut Law Requires Applicants to Get Copy of Criminal Record

The Connecticut state legislature recently passed a law that will take effect February 1, 2008, that requires a consumer reporting agency to send a Connecticut job applicant or employee “criminal matters of public record” at the same time it is sent to the employer. The communication must include the name and address of the person (and company) to whom the consumer report is being issued.

Beginning the first of February, if an ESS report on a Connecticut applicant/employee contains matters of criminal public record, a copy of the criminal record information will automatically be sent to the consumer at the same time it is reported to the ESS client.

Contacting The Current Employer? Communication Is Key!

The process of obtaining a thorough employment verification report often hits a road block when the applicant is currently employed. Everyday employed people are looking for better job opportunities but do not wish to jeopardize their current position in the process. Clear and accurate communication between all parties; -- the applicant, prospective employer, and the screening service -- is critical. Misunderstandings and errors could result in serious repercussions for all. Employment Screening Services is dedicated to making our client's job easier and less stressful; we hope you can join us for an educational webinar focused strictly on how we can best work together on this important issue.

Date: Thursday, January 17, 2008
Time: 10:30 PDT
Presenter: Jennifer Hussey, ESS Account Specialist and Team Leader

To Register - Click Here

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Holiday Hours at ESS

During the upcoming holidays ESS will observe the following schedule:

Thursday - November 22, the office will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving
Friday - November 23, the office will be closed so our employees can shop
Monday - December 24, the office will be closing at Noon Pacific Time
Tuesday - December 25, the office will be closed in observance of Christmas
Monday - December 31, the office will be closing at Noon Pacific Time
Tuesday, January 1, the office will be closed in observance of New Years Day

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