2020 DOT Random Testing Rates Notice
ODAPC’s web site has been updated to reflect the CY 2020 random drug and alcohol testing rates. You can also view the CY 2020 random testing rates in the attached document. 2020_DOT_Random_Testing_Rates_Notice
Johnny Tisdale
CBD: What Is It and Will It Result in a Positive Drug Test for Marijuana?
Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a natural substance that has recently gained popularity due to its use as a remedy to treat certain physical ailments. CBD is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis plants, the marijuana plant, or hemp plant. Hemp derived oil (CBD) has been a legal import in the United States … Read More
Tips for Fighting Holiday Depression
As the holidays approach and another year comes to an end, many enter a period of reflection. Reflection can offer an opportunity to revel in the events of the year, or it can cause us to be consumed with self-doubt and regret. Fortunately, the challenges that come with managing depression during the holidays are not … Read More
World Mental Health Day 2019: Focus on Suicide Prevention
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every 40 seconds, someone loses their life to suicide. Join us in raising awareness of suicide, the impact it has on people around the world and the role each of us can play to help prevent it. One of the major causes of suicide is mental illness, which … Read More
Statistics Around Medical Cannabis Users Operating Vehicles
According to a new survey of medical cannabis users in Michigan, more than half of the 790 respondents said they’ve driven under the influence of cannabis within two hours of using it at least once in the last six months. Driving under the influence of marijuana can be risky due to delayed reaction time and … Read More
Random Testing Rates for 2019
“In the fourth quarter, US Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies and the Coast Guard publish their annual minimum drug and alcohol random testing rates for the next year. Federal employers must comply with any changes to the random rates beginning on January 1. However, changes in random drug test positivity rates are a bit more … Read More
Transit Industry Random Drug Testing Rate to Increase January 1, 2019
On October 17, 2018, the Federal Transit Administration issued a “Dear Colleague” letter announcing that effective January 1, 2019, the minimum rate of random drug testing will increase from 25 percent to 50 percent of covered employees for employers subject to FTA’s drug and alcohol regulation. This change is due to an increase in the industry’s … Read More
Rural Americans and the Opioid Epidemic
According to an October 2018 poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, rural Americans are highly concerned about the opioid crisis–even more-so than with economic concerns. A staggering 25% of the national rural community felt that the biggest problem affecting them is drug addiction and abuse, while … Read More
Part 40 Rule Summary of Changes
Effective January 1, 2018, the United States Department of Transportation is implementing some changes to its drug testing program regulation by adding and amending some of the drugs used in its drug-testing panel, clarifying some of the provisions already in use, and removing the requirement for employers and Consortiums/TPAs to submit blind specimens. Employees can … Read More
America’s Opioid Crisis
The United States is in the midst of a public health crisis. Opioid abuse is currently one of America’s top health epidemics, taking mothers, fathers and children, destroying lives and breaking up families. In fact, it is the 2nd highest killer of young people. This serious epidemic must be addressed in our homes and workplaces. … Read More
Employee Protections in the Era of Medical Marijuana Legislation
More than twenty states have enacted medical marijuana laws since proposition 215 was passed by California voters in 1996. The earliest medical marijuana laws typically only provided criminal protections, however in the past two decades, laws are now extending protections to housing, schooling, domestic relations, and employment. State marijuana regulations uniquely address aspects such as … Read More
Fake Urine Being Sold for Drug Testing
Marijuana sales in Colorado topped $1 billion last year. That may have triggered an upswing in the sale of another product: synthetic urine, which helps users fool employers and parole officers in drug tests. Colorado representatives are concerned about the fraudulent use of synthetic urine and aim to ban the substance in the state. Representatives … Read More