Employer Drug Testing Made Simple: Benefits of Using Urgent Care Clinics

Many, if not most, employers require some form of drug testing, either prior to starting a new job, randomly to ensure compliance, postaccident to prevent further injury, or because of federal, state, or local regulations. They may have a preselected lab for you to go to, but if not, an urgent care facility can handle most types of testing.

At Rapid Response Urgent Care, our expert team of doctors and nurses conducts employer-mandated drug testing during physical exams, if required. Testing may be in the form of urine, saliva, or a hair sample, and our on-site laboratory can process the results quickly and efficiently, so you can get moving on your job.

Why do employers require drug testing?

Employment drug testing is when an employer requires an employee to undergo a test to check for drug use.

Most employers require a drug test for new hires. When a potential employee accepts a conditional offer of employment, it’s not official until they take and pass a drug test. A positive result could negate the employment offer, as the employer is testing to ensure a drug-free workplace.

Some companies implement random drug testing, which means each employee has an equal chance of selection, regardless of their position or performance. The employer's method of random drug testing, such as a urine, hair follicle, or saliva test, is generally included in the employee handbook.

If an employee experiences a workplace accident, the company may suspect drug use as a cause and schedule a drug test per their insurance policy or federal guidelines. The test is usually done within 12 hours of the accident to ensure the accuracy of the results.

Finally, if an employer suspects that one or more employees are using drugs, they can schedule periodic drug screenings, such as monthly, bimonthly, or annually, to monitor the frequency of potential use in employees.

What are the types of drug tests?

There are three main types of drug tests: urine, hair follicle, and saliva.

Urine test

Urinalysis can determine if someone uses or has used drugs, even after they’ve stopped and their residual effects have decreased. This method is effective for many types of substances, including alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and opiates.

Hair follicle test

Hair analysis provides a more comprehensive analysis of drug use than a urine test because it can detect substances used in the past 90 days. It's less invasive than other tests, though, since the tester collects only a few strands of hair in a controlled environment.

Saliva test

The saliva drug test is commonly used in workplaces. It involves swabbing the inside of the mouth and testing the contents from the swab. The results are usually easy to determine and can be made available within minutes or hours of testing. The test is able to detect drugs like marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, and opiates.

Benefits of using urgent care for drug testing

Unless the company has a mandated lab you need to use, getting tested at an urgent care facility is a good option.

Rapid Response Urgent Care is open seven days a week, which means you can get tested on your schedule, even after business hours or on weekends.

We also have an on-site laboratory, which means we can do the analysis right on the premises and provide a quick turnaround on the results. That’s important when you’re up for a new job and are eager to get started.

Our staff can also explain the results to you, so you know, specifically, what the test did or didn’t show. That answers any questions you might have, which equals peace of mind.

If you need to get an employer drug test, Rapid Response Urgent Care in Granada Hills, California, can help. Walk in, call us at 818-923-5216, or book an appointment online today.