Survey: Most applicants try to cheat drug tests
November 4, 2008 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Background checks, In This Week's E-Newsletter, Job screening tests, Latest News & Views
Here’s some scary news for companies that try to screen out drug users during the hiring process:
Many applicants will try to get around the test, according to a recent survey by testing service provider TestCountry.
In a poll of 3,500 construction, transportation and manufacturing employees, 55% said they had tried to cheat on a drug test.
The most common methods use by those who said they cheated:
- Diluting the specimen by drinking a lot of fluids (45%)
- Using chemical screens designed to mask signs of drug use (23%)
- Substituting another person’s urine sample (19%), and
- Other methods (13%)
What can companies do about it?
TestCountry recommends switching to tests that use a hair sample, which are more expensive but nearly impossible to cheat. Also, random tests of employees can help cut back on drug use.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
If you are using a drug testing company that employs certified collectors (that follow strict guidelines) and a Medical Review Officer there will be a huge reduction in the number of cheating employees that get away with cheating.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Our testing office has picked up discrepancies that suggest fraud. Among them, dilute samples and temperatures outside normal range which may indicate someone else’s sample brought in. If they truly have an issue, we have the right to do testing for perceived cause and any employee can be selected for random testing at any time.