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How Drug Testing May Become Part of a Divorce Hearing

In some cases, divorce is a simple process. More often, however, there are complicating factors that can make it difficult to settle a separation amicably, especially when child custody and potential spousal support payments are on the line. It may be necessary to call in outside help when working through divorce proceedings, and this can include drug testing. This article will offer a look at situations where certified drug screening results may need to be presented to a judge or mediator who will rule on the divorce settlement.

A parent seeking custody has a history of drug use.

When determining which parent will be awarded custody of children in a divorce, the court will consider which household will be the safest, most nurturing environment for a child. If a parent has a history of drug use, it may be necessary to prove that the parent is clean and sober with a certified drug test. A drug test may also be requested by a parent seeking custody if he or she has reason to believe that the other parent is using drugs.

Drug use is cited as a reason for separation.

Drug use can be the cause for a divorce, which would put fault on the individual struggling with substance abuse. In this case, it may be necessary to prove drug use with a drug test, which may assist in building a case for spousal support for one party or eliminating the responsibility of support in other cases.

When you need a certified drug test result to submit to the court, AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services can provide quick, accurate, and confidential testing with our family and personal testing services. To learn more about our Arizona drug and alcohol screening services, give us a call at (800) 224-8532.

PHMSA Increases Random Drug Testing Rate for 2018

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced on December 1, 2017 a Notice of Calendar Year 2018 Minimum Annual Percentage Rate for Random Drug Testing.  Effective January 1, 2018 operators of gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipelines and operators of liquefied natural gas facilities are required to increase the minimum annual random drug testing rate from 25% to 50% in accordance to the rules set in 49 CFR 199.105(c)(1) relating to the PHMSA minimum annual random drug testing rate.

While the minimum annual random drug testing rate was 25 percent of all covered employees for calendar year 2017, paragraph 49 CFR 199.105(c)(4) requires the Administrator to raise the minimum annual random drug testing rate from 25 percent to 50 percent of all covered employees when the data obtained from the Management Information System (MIS) reports required by § 199.119(a) indicate the positive test rate is equal to or greater than 1 percent.  In calendar year 2016, the random drug test positive rate was greater than 1 percent.  Therefore, the PHMSA minimum annual random drug testing rate shall be 50 percent of all covered employees for calendar year 2018.

A Closer Look at PHMSA Screening Compliance

PHMSA stands for Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and if you want to work for this DOT agency, you need to meet certain qualifications. Business owners should know who is required to submit to a test, how to meet requirements, and what to do to set up a viable program. Here’s a closer look at PHMSA screening compliance.

Who Needs to Test

PHMSA screening compliance doesn’t apply to everyone, but in certain fields it may apply to most people on the job. You need to be screened to ensure that you meet the PHMSA’s standards if you operate, maintain, or provide emergency response functions for a pipeline or liquefied natural gas facility. This includes all persons employed by operators, contractors, and persons employed by the contractors..

Meeting Requirements

To keep your business PHMSA compliant, you need to drug test your employees in different situations. Pre-employment testing helps you build a qualified team, but you must also test employees randomly and after accidents. You also need to document and organize your results.

Creating a Program

You need to put a practical plan in place that meets the requirements if you want to be fully compliant with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. It’s understandable if you don’t know how to do this on your own, as you’ve got plenty of other responsibilities to take care of. If you’re not sure where to start, contact a drug testing and compliance company for help. The professionals will help create a plan based on your needs and the regulations, so you can encourage your employees to stay healthy and keep your operation moving in the right direction.

When you need a PHMSA compliant drug and alcohol testing program contact AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services by calling (800) 224-8532. AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug & alcohol testing and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, Arizona and Phoenix, Arizona. Visit our website for an even more detailed look at PHMSA employee screening compliance.

How Different Drugs Can Affect Employee Performance

Drug use of any kind can be detrimental to your team’s performance and your workplace , but  it’s not always obvious at first. Drugs can cause your employees to act erratically and create problems for everyone else on the team, which is bad for the individual, the team, and the business itself. Read ahead to learn about how different drugs can affect employee performance.

Marijuana

The legalization of marijuana in many states around the country has put some employers in a tricky spot. Even if the drug isn’t illegal in your state, you still shouldn’t have employees showing up to work while experiencing its effects. In States that recreational and medical marijuana are allowed employers still have rights to restrict its use among their employees.  Although many people consider the plant less harmful than other drugs, studies have shown that the impairing effects of marijuana last longer than other drugs.  It has real effects on both physical and mental traits. It can impair your visual tracking, slow your reaction time and thinking, reduce your concentration, inhibit your motivation and make you less productive on the job, which puts colleagues and management at a disadvantage themselves.

Amphetamines

The truck driving industry used to be associated with amphetamines, because these kinds of drugs help you focus and stay up for long hours. Unfortunately, there are also dangerous drawbacks. Amphetamines are addictive and can also have negative effects on your attention, especially if the drug is wearing off.  The euphoric stimulation caused by amphetamine use increases impulsive and risk taking behaviors including bizarre and violent acts.

Alcohol

We know that alcohol impairs your ability to drive a car or operate heavy machinery. The job doesn’t need to require either of these tasks for it to be a bad idea to work under the influence. Alcohol delays your reaction time, changes your mood, and even affects your judgement in a significant way. Employees with alcohol problems might become easily distracted, offend their coworkers, or fail to show up to work at all.

AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug & alcohol testing and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ. If you need drug testing in Arizona, please call us at (800) 224-8532 or browse our website.

Pros and Cons of Different Drug Test Collection Types

Drug testing helps ensure that your team operates at optimal efficiency, but there are different ways to go about it. Breath alcohol, urine, and alcohol testing are all possible methods of screening your employees. Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of different drugs collection types.

Breath Alcohol

When a cop sees someone driving erratically and pulls them over, there are a few ways he or she can go about handling the situation. There are field sobriety tests, and then there is the breathalyzer. A breathalyzer test will give you a reading of a person’s BAC, or blood alcohol content. Anything above a .08% can be considered a DUI. Although this test provides immediate results, it isn’t always accurate. Foods like poppy seed bagels can throw off the reading, and even using mouthwash can affect the results.

Urine

A urine test is a common way of screening applicants for drug use before making a hire. While the results can be reliable when the process is done right, there are a few ways that people can cheat the system. This is especially true when they aren’t monitored as they take the test. An applicant can bring synthetic urine or borrowed urine to use as their own, allowing them to pass the drug test even though they aren’t clean.

Hair Follicle

One of the less frequent forms of drug testing is hair follicle testing. Drugs can be detected in your hair after they are out of your system. It can, however, be difficult to tell if the person in question has used any of those drugs recently. Therefore, it helps to use multiple types of drug collection strategies.

 

For more on the types of drug testing in Arizona, feel free to call Oschmann Employee Screening Services at (800) 224-8532. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you and your business, feel free to check out our website for a look at our services.

FAQs About FAA Drug Testing

You would never get onto a plane if you knew the pilot was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which is one reason FAA drug testing is so important. Yet, most people could still stand to learn about why testing is so important, how to choose the right members for the team, and when to test again. Continue for some FAQs about FAA drug testing.

Why is FAA drug testing important?

The Federal Aviation Administration requires that airlines drug test their employees. This helps keep pilots, passengers, and other staff members safe. Driving under the influence is dangerous, and flying a plane under the influence has the potential to be more catastrophic.

How do I hire the right people?

Your operation can only succeed if you have the right people backing it, and you can choose the right people with the help of drug testing. When you follow the FAA regulations, you can make sure you hire competent and promising individuals. This gives your business a better name and makes your customers feel more satisfied and comfortable.

Do I need to test after accidents?

It makes a lot of sense to drug test your applicants before you make a new hire. This ensures that the people you hire are trustworthy and of sound mind. However, some people stop using drugs just long enough to pass a drug test and gain employment, and then they go back to using. If an accident happens in the workplace, you can test the employees involved to find out if drug use played a role.

 

If you still have any questions about FAA drug testing, you can always contact the team at Oschmann Employee Screening Services. Drug testing in Arizona is our forte, and it’s our job to make sure everyone on your staff is at the best of his or her abilities. Call us at (800) 224-8532 or look at our website to gain some insight on what we do.