Definition
The term pre-employment drug testing refers to a program that allows companies to screen out job applicants that are abusing drugs. Pre-employment drug testing allows employers to protect their companies from the negative effects associated with drug abuse.
Explanation
As part of the hiring process, employers may ask successful job applicants to submit to a drug test. Typically, a job offer is made conditionally; the applicant must successfully pass the drug test before the offer is considered firm. The cost of the test is usually paid for by the company requesting the test. Testing for drugs helps employers maintain morale in their companies, while decreasing absenteeism, theft of property, and on-the-job accidents.
As part of this process, the job applicant will be asked to provide a urine specimen, which may be collected at the employer's medical facility or a local laboratory. Urinalysis is able to detect the presence of drugs that remain in an applicant's body long after the effects of the drug have worn off. The drugs most commonly screened for include alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, opiates, and nicotine.