The practice of testing employees for drugs in the workplace is not widespread. Instead, it is governed by various federal, state, and municipal government authorities, in addition to some industries. Those in safety-sensitive vocations are subjected to drug testing, and various sectors and government organizations have developed specialized testing techniques. In the United States, drug testing follows a rigorously organized protocol, most of which is governed by an executive order issued by the President in 1986. Subsequent legislation also mandates that all places of employment be drug-free zones. A medical review officer will investigate and resolve the issue if a drug test report contains problematic false-negative or false-positive results upon random testing at workplace.
It is a requirement that all federal agencies adopt protocols for drug testing of their workforce. Employees in law enforcement, public health and safety, and national security should all be subjected to random drug testing. The goal is to weed out officials who have a history of substance abuse. The extent of testing and the criteria for testing were left up to the agency directors. Visual monitoring of an employee collecting urine samples was prohibited by presidential order unless there was a reasonable suspicion that the person would fabricate or substitute the specimen. In other words, visual monitoring was only allowed in exceptional circumstances.
Section 503 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1987 required all federal agencies and contractors to maintain drug-free workplaces; random drug testing was not required but strongly recommended. Furthermore, Section 503 required all federal agencies to develop and submit specific testing strategies to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for approval. It helped to ensure the consistency of all government testing procedures. Although random testing in the workplace violates the rights of the officials, it is indispensable to do the exercise occasionally to maintain the agency’s sanity and integrity.