Go Ahead ... Ask
March 2018
“I’m filling out my annual report for the BWC’s Drug-Free Safety Program and ran into a snag. Because we’re so small, my drug testing vendor put us in a random pool with other small companies. The report is asking how many of my employees were random tested this year, but none of my guys were pulled. What should I put on the report?”
This is an excellent question and one we hear each year. In short, if you are sure your employees are in a random pool, where the correct percentage of employees are pulled per year, you can put “0” on the form if none of your people were selected. But annual report time is a great opportunity to make sure everything is still running smoothly with your random testing program.
As a reminder, there are two types of random pools your employees can be in: company-specific and generic:
A company-specific random testing pool — includes only employees from your company, so you can expect to receive a list of names throughout the year, depending on the frequency you set-up (e.g., monthly, quarterly, etc.).
A generic random testing pool — combines your employees with employees from other businesses, which makes it a great option for small companies. While each employee has an equal chance of being pulled for a random test, it’s possible that someone from your company won’t be pulled every time.
Because you’re in a generic pool, it’s a good idea to periodically check these details to be sure things are running smoothly – especially if it’s been a while since one of your employees was pulled:
- Are all necessary employees in the random drug testing pool?
- Are there emplolyees in the pool who no longer work for you?
- What is the process for keeping your list of employees current?
- Is the pool testing the correct percentage for your level in the DFSP?
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- Comparable Level – at least 5%
- Advanced Level– at least 15%
The report gives you the opportunity to identify your drug testing vendor and confirm that you are testing at the appropriate percentage. Those at the Advanced level will also need to submit a letter from their vendor confirming this information.
Just a reminder for private employers, the last business day of March is the deadline to submit your annual Drug-Free Safety Program report. (It’s the last business day of September for public employers.)
The Drug-Free Safety Program annual report doesn’t have to be a hassle. Check out this video for a little assistance in filling out this year’s report: 4 DFSP Annual Report Tricks.
