Are you a company wanting to become a drug-free workplace? Here is something you may want to know. One of our most frequently asked questions is what is the difference between reasonable suspicion drug testing, and random drug testing, and how is each test performed. These are two important qualifications for your company to become one of the few priding themselves on being considered a drug-free workplace.

Reasonable Suspicion Testing VS Random Drug Testing

Reasonable suspicion testing, also known as for cause drug testing, is performed when supervisors have evidence or reasonable cause to suspect an employee of drug use. The evidence is based on direct observation, either by a supervisor or another employee.

In order to legally drug test employees under reasonable suspicion, business owners, CEOs, and supervisors need to undergo a specific training course known as Reasonable suspicion testing for drugs and alcohol.

Your company may suffer from hiring substance abusers in many ways. A few signs and symptoms that may indicate an employee may be using drugs or alcohol is stumbling, bloodshot or watery eyes, highly excitable or nervous attitude, slurred words, or out of character speech and laughter.

Different from Reasonable Suspicion Drug testing is Random Drug Testing. In order to be recognized as a drug-free workplace, your company MUST be enrolled in random drug testing. To perform a random drug test, a company must enroll and submit all of its employees in a random drug pool. The company then chooses the percentage of employees that get pulled for drug testing, alcohol testing, or both. It is also at the companies discretion as to how frequently the random pull occurs. Once the company has chosen its pool factors, the information is entered into a neutral computer-generated program, which will then pull names at random, as not to be biased in any way.

What Is The Difference?

Reasonable suspicion testing and random drug testing are not to be confused! Reasonable suspicion drug testing can occur at any time, random drug testing is predetermined under the company substance abuse policy. In both cases, once informed, the employee must immediately proceed to the drug testing location. When an employee is suspected of drug or alcohol use and is getting tested under reasonable suspicion, it is recommended that the supervisor of the company drives the employee to the testing site.It is highly suggested to have your company enrolled in both reasonable suspicion, and random drug testing to prevent substance abuse in the workplace.

For more information on how to become a drug-free workplace visit us at www.accreditedbackgroundchecks.com.