Recent changes in drug-testing practices transform how employers hire

Employers who remove the marijuana metabolite THC from their pre-employment screening panel are finding new ways to test for employee impairment.

Last week, one of the world’s largest employers announced that they are pulling THC from their pre-employment drug screening program.  While the repercussions have yet to fully unfold, companies who compete for employees in the same labor pool are on high alert.

Labor-centric businesses are still operating at less than capacity across the country.  Removing pre-employment drug screening for marijuana is one less hurdle for those who are actively looking for jobs.  Cognitive testing is beginning to emerge as a real-time alternative to identify employees who are struggling with drug use, as well as extreme fatigue and emotional distress.

“Showing up impaired for work is a safety risk for the impaired individual and those around them, and traditional drug testing isn’t making workplaces safer,” said Carol Setters of Predictive Safety SRP.  “AlertMeter® effectively raises visibility in real-time impairment with patented technology in a 60-second app that anyone can use.”

Traditional drug testing for THC, the psychoactive metabolite identified through mainstream testing methods, has been under fire for several years.  Often the positive result alone is insufficient proof of the current state of impairment for an employee.

According to Angela Moore, CEO of Cynergy Wellness Inc., “From an MRO perspective, differing marijuana statutes have made it very difficult for employers to establish effective policy that addresses medicinal use vs. recreational use vs. no authorized use outside of federal guidelines.  While traditional pre-employment testing can help companies avoid a catastrophic hire, the ability to screen daily at the point of worksite access is a critical step toward harmonizing marijuana regulation and personal choice with a safe and productive workplace.”

“A lot of people don’t know what cognitive testing is, but it has a decades-long legacy that is scientifically validated,” said Henry Bowles, CEO of Bowles-Langley Technology, who co-invented the earlier version of AlertMeter® with a grant from NIOSH. “Companies can’t afford to focus on the marker left by cannabis use – it rarely coordinates with the person’s fit for work state like cognitive testing does.”

Information about AlertMeter® can be found at Predictive Safety’s website, www.predictivesafety.com or on this customer testimonial and by contacting Peri Eryigit at [email protected].

For more information about Cynergy Wellness Inc., visit www.cynergymro.com.