Drug tests are required for employment at many private and government employers, as well as if you want to participate in many sports. Certain foods, medications, or other substances can cause a false positive reading.
However, it is possible for a test to have a false-positive result. Knowing what a false positive is and how to avoid this problem can be important for anyone expecting to take a drug test. Urine drug screens are the most common test, although other body fluids may be analyzed as well. Many commonly used substances can trigger a false-positive test result.
Have you been asked to provide a biological sample for drug screening? A positive drug test can have some undesirable repercussions. Your boss may use it to suspend or fire you; it may ruin your reputation or even bar you from participating in various activities such as sporting activities.
It also necessitates a rehabilitation plan to ensure you can cope with the urge to use illicit substances. It is possible to possess metabolic forms of illicit drugs in your system without actually taking illegal medication. When you are screened using the IA test, your results are likely to come back positive even though you have not abused the drug being tested. These results are commonly known as false positives.
They show the presence of some form of the illicit drug in the body even though the drug may have been obtained in other ways and not abusing the drug being tested.
A false positive can be caused by a wide range of items, including everyday products such as poppy seeds and ibuprofen. These substances may be ingested for reasons such as medical purposes or as ingredients for our everyday foodstuffs. However, they are broken down in the body and may present as metabolic forms of illegal substances in simple tests. One requires complex and, often, expensive tests such as GC-SM or high-performance liquid chromatography to accurately establish if the metabolic forms were introduced into the body from illegal substances.
Here are ten everyday products that may cause a false positive. Can you imagine your desire to satisfy your need to eat is the reason why you get a positive drug test? Well, it sounds crazy, but food can be a source of a false positive during a drug test. It is possible for your drug test to come back as a false positive for alcohol once you consume a lot of food that is rich in yeast. During the metabolism of yeast, ethanol is formed as a by-product.
Once you are subjected to a breathalyzer after you have consumed food rich in yeast, the ethanol that forms during metabolism can bring back a false positive for alcohol. As such, food such as bread, ripe fruits, and pizza ought to be avoided when you are going to be subjected to a drug screening in a few hours.
Granola bars can also lead to a false positive. Granola bars have hemp seeds as one of their ingredients. If the second test comes back positive, you will then want to schedule a meeting with the person who manages the testing policies in your company. You will want to come prepared to discuss any medications you have been taking, and why you believe the positive test is false.
If it is a job you have applied for, reach out to the company and see if you can meet with someone in their organization that handles the companies hiring. It is important that you act in a professional manner, and arrive at all meetings prepared. If after you meet with your human resources department, they do not accept your reasons for the false positive result, at that point you will need to determine if you want to pursue a legal course of action. Losing your job, or not getting a job you were offered due to a false positive on a drug test can result in emotional, and financial distress.
When your attempt to resolve the situation with your employer, or prospective employer has failed, it may be time to find an attorney. While many laboratories cannot be held liable based on local and state laws, an attorney that is experienced in dealing with drug test errors can help you know what rights you have and what can be done to resolve the conflict between you and your current or prospective company.
It is also a good idea to get tested on your own, having knowledge of what is causing the false positive result can prepare you should you encounter this situation in another company. There are many reasons that a drug test can return a false positive result, being aware of the potential causes and what to do if you should find yourself dealing with a similar situation will hopefully help you come to a satisfactory resolution.
What to do if a drug test comes back with a false positive Imagine you are applying for a new job, and you get a call from an HR representative advising you that you tested positive for drugs. JUNE 21, — Circumstances can get pretty complicated in the event of a positive drug test result — especially for companies regulated by the Department of Transportation. The DOT has strict regulations regarding the steps that must be taken afterwards.
A DOT qualified physician — the Medical Review Officer — attempts to make contact with the employee in order to conduct an interview. During the interview, the MRO will determine whether there is a valid medical explanation as to why the specimen may have tested positive.
If the MRO determines there is no medical explanation, they will offer the employee the option to have Vial B tested as described above in order to verify that no error was made. If the employee opts to have the split specimen tested, he or she must make the request to the MRO within 72 hours. At that time, Vial B will be shipped to a laboratory for testing. This cannot be the same laboratory used to analyze the first sample. This is another fairly common scenario, but thanks to the medical review process, it should be of no concern.
If during the MRO interview the employee states that he is taking prescribed medication, he will be given the opportunity to provide proof of the prescription to the MRO.
Once a valid prescription is received, and it is determined that the employee is using the medication as prescribed, the final result will report out to the employer as a verified negative. An employee who has been prescribed medication may be required to obtain a note from the prescribing physician that the medication will not affect their ability to perform safety-sensitive functions.
As you might expect, if an employee does test positive, the process they must complete prior to resuming safety-sensitive functions is often not a quick one. This process consists of the following steps:. When your employer calls you for work return by voicemail,do you have a time frame to to return the call?? I would try to get back to them as quickly as possible, however. Do all companies have to follow the dot guidelines?
For motor carriers, only those who operate motor vehicles in excess of 26, pounds need to comply with federal drug and alcohol testing requirements. Do you know your rights? How long do drugs stay in your system? Possible outcomes after failing drug test The contract signed during your employment phase will determine the next course of action after you test positive for substance use.
Consequences may include: Firing- in most cases, your employer will not fire you on the spot unless it is a recurrent habit. If this is your first time, your boss may give you another chance to prove yourself. They might push you into going for rehabilitation if you are already an addict. You will then resume duties at your workplace with a clear mind. Should you repeat the same mistake again, they are right to terminate your employment status immediately.
Deny you a job position- if you are a new employee going through pre-screening, your positive drug tests may be a red flag for the new employer. They have full rights to turn you down and ask you to seek help before re-applying for the job position. Retain your employment status under certain conditions- the law protects every individual seeking addiction treatment while under employment.
If you test positive for drugs , even if it was your last warning, but you can prove to your employer that you have been getting professional help, you stand a chance to hold on to your employment status.
Your employer may decline to promote you until you prove your worth for the position.
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