Post-Incident Testing

by Jessica Sullins

As workplace incidents continue to increase, so does the practice of testing an employee for drugs and alcohol in their system after an incident. In many cases, employers are now required by their liability or workers’ compensation insurance to do this after all incidents.

It is important to create a policy and to provide training around this subject so your supervisors know exactly how to handle a workplace incident and remain consistent for all employees.

The survey says:
According to an AAIM Employers’ Association e-survey of 137 St. Louis and central Illinois businesses, 72.9% of employers conduct post-incident testing on employees. Of the employers who test, 98.9% conduct a drug test and 80.8% conduct an alcohol test.

What to consider:

• Time frame. Requiring the test to be taken in a specific time frame will cut down the chance of the substance leaving the employee’s system.

• Transportation. Many employers will provide transportation to the testing facility in case there are any substances in the employee’s system.

• Pay. Determining when an employee should and shouldn’t be paid during the post-incident process is important for timekeeping and payroll purposes.

• Results. It is important to determine what steps you will take as the employer if the results are positive.

Jessica Sullins, PHR (solutions.team@aaimea.org) is on the Research and Solutions Team for AAIM Employers’ Association, which helps Missouri and Illinois companies manage their people and processes.