Department of Transportation (DOT) urine tests are an integral part of ensuring safety and compliance in safety-sensitive industries such as trucking, aviation, and rail. These tests are designed to detect the presence of drugs or alcohol, which can impair an individual’s ability to perform safety-sensitive duties. But what happens if you fail a DOT urine test? The consequences can be serious, impacting both your current employment and future career opportunities.
Testing Positive for a DOT Urine Test
You fail a DOT drug or alcohol test by testing positive to a drug test, or registering a 0.04 or greater alcohol content. Failing two DOT drug or alcohol tests typically means you failed random testing or a reasonable suspicion test and a follow-up test.
If a truck driver, for instance, fails a DOT drug test, they must immediately stop performing any safety-sensitive duties. This applies to all DOT-regulated employees, not just truck drivers.
If you fail or refuse a DOT drug or alcohol test, you will be taken out of safety-sensitive duties until you complete the return-to-duty process.
Return-To-Duty Process
The return-to-duty process is a series of steps that an employee must take after failing a DOT drug or alcohol test. It is designed to ensure that the employee has addressed the issues that led to the positive test result before returning to safety-sensitive duties.
One of the first steps in this process is to undergo a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluation. SAPs are professionals who have been trained and certified to help individuals who have failed or refused DOT drug and alcohol tests begin the recovery process and return to work safely.
SAP Evaluation Georgia is one such provider of SAP evaluations. They have a team of qualified professionals who guide individuals through the return-to-duty process, providing assessments, recommendations for treatment or education, follow-up evaluations, and more.
The SAP evaluation is crucial because it identifies any drug or alcohol-related issues that need to be addressed. The SAP then recommends an appropriate course of action, which could include education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
After completing the recommended course of action, the employee must undergo a follow-up evaluation with the SAP. If the SAP is satisfied that the employee has successfully complied with their recommendations, they can give the green light for the employee to undergo a return-to-duty drug test.
The Consequences of Failing a DOT Urine Test
Failing a DOT urine test can have serious consequences. For one, it can result in the loss of your job. DOT regulations require employers to immediately remove employees from safety-sensitive duties if they fail a drug or alcohol test.
Furthermore, if you failed a DOT drug test and/or DOT alcohol test that occurred on or after January 6, 2020, the information remains in the DOT’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. This is a secure online database that gives employers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), State Driver Licensing Agencies, and State law enforcement personnel real-time access to important information about driver drug and alcohol program violations7.
The Clearinghouse record can make it harder for you to find work in safety-sensitive industries, as potential employers will be able to see your failed test results. However, successfully completing the return-to-duty process and maintaining a clean record thereafter can help mitigate these effects.
Conclusion
Failing a DOT urine test can be a significant setback, but it doesn’t mean the end of your career in safety-sensitive industries. With the right help and support, such as that provided by SAP Evaluation Georgia, you can address the issues that led to the failed test, complete the return-to-duty process, and get back to work safely and responsibly.
