Any workplace needs employees who are healthy and focused on their work, and many strategies exist to boost worker morale and reduce turnover rates, but sometimes, the use of drugs or alcohol can impair a worker, and the signs of drug use may no always be obvious. For this reason, urine drugs tests or other drug test kits or DOT drug and alcohol test training may be involved to ensure that everyone at the office is clean, and there may be legal reasons to do this. How can a workplace carry out background checks and drug screening to maximum effect, and why? Also, what are the benefits or legal reasons for a man to take a DNA paternity test? In some cases, taking a DNA paternity test is required for legal or health reasons for himself and the mother, so taking one is strongly urged.
A Drug and Alcohol Test for the Workplace
The American Management Association has released data showing that around 62% of all American employers implement drug testing programs that have the goals of guaranteeing employee safety, along with complying with any state regulations, protecting the organization’s reputation, and most of all, creating a drug-free environment for everyone to work in. Why is this so important? There are more drug users in the work force than some may realize, and it often has a negative impact on business and the economy. A recent survey on urine drug testing revealed that around 75% of all users of illicit drugs are employed, and this means that American businesses are losing around $81 billion per year due to loss of performance. Another way to show this rate of employee drug use is this: one out of six American workers has a drug abuse problem, according to government studies. Urine tests are often the most accurate for screening for drug use within the last five days, although a hair follicle drug test can screen for drug use within the past 90 days. In the year 2015, for example, 9.5 million or more drug tests came out positive in the American workforce, and this can lead to a lot of lost productivity. After all, employees who abuse drugs are typically absent from work 20 times more often than their drug-free colleagues, and this can harm a business a great deal.
Employing drug tests when hiring someone, or launching surprise drug tests to current employees, can help curb this loss of productivity. Some employees may have ease of mind knowing that drug users are being exposed and dealt with, and for those who do abuse drugs, they can be offered rehab or other programs to help them clean up and regain their health and productivity. The workplace might also have counselors or other in-house professionals who can assist with this, although it may vary from one employer to another. What is more, drug users may even be a safety risk to their co-workers, so rooting them out through drug tests can help prevent an incident from taking place. Companies that do not use correct or frequent enough drug tests may also face legal trouble from their home state or city, and having a lot of drug users on the payroll can hurt a company’s image.
A DNA Paternity Test
When the identity of an unborn child’s father is not certain, people may employ a DNA paternity test to find out who the father is. According to American Pregnancy, a DNA paternity test may yield significant benefits, such as inheritance when a father-child relationship is proven, or to set up legal or social benefits or veteran’s benefits. This also provides a more complete and accurate medical history for the child, which can help in case the child health issues, especially genetic ones. An unmarried and pregnant woman may be required to have an Acknowledgement of Paternity, or AOP, right after giving birth at a hospital. A limited time frame exists, which varies by state, for the couple to obtain a DNA paternity test and confirm who the child’s father is. The Bureau of Vital Statistics handles this paperwork, and it in fact is a legally binding document.
