What Are the Best Times for Employee Drug Testing?

• Posted by Alex Carey December 20, 2025 Filed in Other #Employee testing Jackson MS  43 views
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  Employee drug testing can play a big part in helping you maintain a safe and productive work environment, especially if you work in an industry where any impairment could lead to safety and compliance risks. While many companies rely on randomized drug tests, it is also beneficial to have policies in place that require a drug test under specific circumstances or at certain times during an employee’s tenure. What times are best for performing an employee drug test? Keep reading for some suggestions.

  Pre-Employment Testing

  One of the most common times to perform a drug test is during the pre-employment stage. Typically, this happens after the applicant has been screened and been given a “contingent” job offer. Before they can officially join the company, they’ll need to pass a drug screening to show that they meet your company’s standards for safety and reliability.

  Testing at this stage reduces the risk of bringing on employees that will struggle to adhere to drug-free workplace policies, and is generally considered the best practice. It also sets clear expectations for new employees from the very beginning, so there is no confusion about your workplace policies.

  Post-Accident Testing

  Another common time to perform a drug test is after some sort of accident or other incident has occurred—especially if the incident has resulted in injury, property damage, or was a “near-miss” situation. Testing employees after a workplace accident can help to determine if the accident was caused by some kind of impairment. This information can guide safety reviews, workers’ compensation claims, and corrective actions with the employees involved.

  Reasonable Suspicion Testing

  Reasonable suspicion testing can be a bit tricky, as it is a more subjective time to perform a drug test. As the name implies, reasonable suspicion testing occurs when a supervisor or manager observes specific behavior patterns that might indicate drug use. This can include things like erratic behavior, slurred speech, unexplained drops in performance, or notable physical symptoms like bloodshot eyes or tremors. If you want to use this kind of testing successfully, your supervisors must be trained to recognize symptoms of impairment and to keep detailed documentation of these observations to support the decision to perform a test.

  Of course, employee testing in Jackson, MS, is always done at the discretion of the employer, so it’s up to you how and when you choose to perform these kinds of drug tests. Just make sure that you’re working with a reliable lab that can provide clear, confident results.