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Most employers do not fail post-accident testing because they refused to test. They fail because they tested when they did not have to, or did not test when they did. A driver has an accident. Police are on scene. A supervisor calls and asks the only question that matters in that moment: do we need…

For years, workplace wellness programs were viewed as perks. Yoga at lunch. Step challenges. Free fruit in the breakroom. Nice to have. Not essential. That mindset is outdated. Today, workplace wellness is no longer a benefits initiative. It is a business strategy. It directly impacts compliance exposure, safety performance, absenteeism, healthcare costs, employee retention, and…

In the world of workplace drug testing, consistency is compliance. Yet many employers still follow an outdated practice: sending only laboratory-confirmed positive results to the Medical Review Officer (MRO) while allowing negative results to bypass medical review altogether. It may seem efficient. It may even feel cost-effective. But from a non-DOT drug testing compliance, DOT…

For years, compliance conversations centered around regulated transportation and DOT compliance. Today, the greater risk is often sitting outside the DOT world. Non-DOT employers now operate in an environment filled with evolving marijuana laws, remote work complications, inconsistent state regulations, and increasing litigation. The legal exposure for companies without a clear workplace drug testing policy…

When an accident happens, the clock may start before HR even knows there has been an accident. That creates a question every employer with a drug and alcohol testing program should be able to answer: If a qualifying accident happened at 11:30 tonight, would your supervisor know exactly whom to call and what to do?…

Marijuana laws continue to evolve across the country. Unfortunately, workplace confusion is evolving right along with them. Many employees now assume legalization means unrestricted use, including protection from workplace consequences. For employers, that misunderstanding creates risk, inconsistent enforcement, and growing pressure on HR and safety teams. Here is the reality every employer must understand and…

Your First Line of DOT Defense: If your company is regulated by the Department of Transportation, you are required to appoint a Designated Employer Representative, or DER. Under 49 CFR Part 40, this role carries real authority and real liability. Yet in many organizations, the DER title gets assigned quietly and treated like paperwork management. That…

An employee is sent for a required drug test. They arrive at the collection site, and then things start going wrong. They refuse to empty their pockets, do not follow the collector’s instructions, become confrontational, and leave before the collection is completed. Is it automatically a refusal to test? For DOT-regulated employers, the answer is…

“Employers spend an average of $8,817 a year on each employee with an untreated substance use disorder — and save more than $8,500 when that employee recovers.” I remember speaking with a friend in the drug testing industry about three years ago and warning him that the legalization of marijuana was going to change our…

“Mississippi employers should review their workplace drug and alcohol testing policies to confirm they reflect the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act.” Mississippi legalized medical cannabis in February 2022. But employers who remember voting on this in 2020 are not misremembering — the state has legalized medical cannabis twice, and the two versions are not the same.…