Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Policy
In order to provide a safe work environment for all our employees while fully complying with state and federal requirements concerning substance abuse, Auburn University implemented a drug testing program effective August 1, 2011.
Simply stated, the policy requires that all employees must report to work without being under the influence of alcohol and without illegal or mind-altering substances in their systems:
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No employee may report for work or remain on duty that requires the operation of a motor vehicle, other hazardous equipment, or the performance of job duties in a hazardous environment when the employee is using any controlled substance, including those legally prescribed. An employee, however, may report to work when the use has been prescribed by a physician who has advised the employee that the substance does not adversely affect the employee’s ability to perform in a safe manner.
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Additionally, no employee may use alcohol or illegal drugs while on duty.
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Employees must inform their supervisor when they are taking legally prescribed and/or over-the-counter medication that may affect their ability to safely carry out their job responsibilities.
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The University also prohibits employees from using, possessing, manufacturing, distributing, or making arrangements to distribute illegal drugs while at work or on University property.
Employees covered: The policy separates employees into two categories:
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Regulated Employees are those whose work is covered by U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and/or Department of Defense (DOD) laws or regulations.
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Non-Regulated Employees are all other University employees.
Testing: The University conducts drug and alcohol testing as follows:
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Pre-Employment Testing is required as a prerequisite to starting work for all Regulated Employee positions.
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Random Testing requires that all employees holding regulated positions be randomly tested quarterly. Random testing will be unannounced.
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Post-Accident Testing is required when an employee is involved in an accident that involves bodily injury with immediate medical treatment away from the scene and/or disabling damage to any motor vehicle requiring a tow away.
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Reasonable Suspicion Testing will take place if an employee is believed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs; the employee will be required to undergo a drug and/or alcohol test.
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Return to Duty/Follow-Up Testing is required when an employee has violated a DOT or University substance abuse policy and completed the required treatment programs as recommended by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP); as part of the employee’s return to work, he or she will be tested.
Actions Required of Supervisors: These are the steps a supervisor must take in the following situations:
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When an employee is selected for random testing, the employee must report immediately to the collection site. The employee’s immediate supervisor will be responsible for providing transportation to the collection site.
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If an employee is believed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the supervisor should contact the University’s Designated Employer Representative (Linda Maxwell-Evans) immediately. The employee may be required to undergo a drug and/or alcohol test. The employee’s immediate supervisor will remove the employee from his/her position and arrangements will be made for the employee to be taken to a testing facility. An employee awaiting the results of a reasonable suspicion test will be placed on administrative leave with pay pending the results of the test.
a.) If the alcohol test is not administered within two hours of the initial reasonable suspicion, the supervisor must document the reason the test was not administered within that two-hour window.
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Attempts to test may continue for up to eight hours, If the alcohol test is not administered within eight hours of the initial reasonable suspicion, attempts to test must cease, and the supervisors must document the reason the test was not administered.
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If an employee is involved in an accident that involves bodily injury with immediate medical treatment away from the scene and/or disabling damage to any motor vehicle requiring tow-away, the employee’s supervisor must contact the University’s Designated Employer Representative for guidance on how to proceed.
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In all the above situations, the supervisor is responsible for providing written documentation about the situation to the Designated Employer Representative, Linda Maxwell Evans, within 24 hours.
Training for Employees and Supervisors: All employees of the University -- staff and faculty -- are required to view the video training program designated for employees. Additionally,
all supervisors must also view the video designated for supervisors. Go to this web page https://auonline.eng.auburn.edu and sign in with your Auburn User ID and password.
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All Employees’ Training: The employee training has the title DTPE4100-001 and takes one hour and 10 minutes to view. There are four possible ways to view the training, and we recommend “Stream.”
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Supervisors’ Training: The supervisor program is designated DTPS4000-001 and takes one hour and 45 minutes to view. There are four possible ways to view the program, and we recommend “Stream.”
Reasonable Suspicion Training: Additional training for supervisors on what constitutes “reasonable suspicion” will be offered in traditional classroom form as part of the Human Resource Development program of courses. This two-hour workshop will provide supervisors the opportunity to sharpen their ability to recognize employees who may be using drugs or alcohol in the workplace in contradiction of the University’s policy. Using a variety of classroom techniques, a facilitator from the University’s partner in the testing arena, Employer’s Drug Program Management, will assist supervisors with learning how to better identify what constitutes “reasonable suspicion” that an employee is using drugs or alcohol in the workplace. Supervisors should watch for these workshop offerings and sign up to take them via A-Train, the University’s online training management system.
