Florida Drug Testing Law
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Florida drug tesing law is located in the provisions below of the Florida Statutes. Administrative rules and
executive orders are not covered here.
Drug Testing Law
- 112.0455 Drug-Free Workplace Act. For public officers and employees.
- 440.102. Drug-free workplace program; Requirements. For purposes of Worker’s Compensation Law.
Public Officers, Employees, And Records
Title X, Chapter 110
110.1091 Program for assisting state employees; confidentiality.
An employing state agency may provide a program to assist any of its state employees who have a behavioral or
medical disorder, substance abuse problem, or emotional difficulty that affects their job performance, through
referral for counseling, therapy, or other professional treatment. Each employing state agency may designate community
diagnostic and referral resources as necessary to implement the provisions of this section. Any communication between
a state employee and personnel or service providers of a state employee assistance program relative to the employee's
participation in the program shall be a confidential communication. Any routine monitoring of telephone calls by
the state agency does not violate this provision. All records relative to that participation shall be confidential
and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. This section is
subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act of 1995 in accordance with s. 119.15, and shall stand repealed
on October 2, 2003, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
Title X, Chapter 112
Public Officers And Employees: General Provisions
112.0455 Drug-Free Workplace Act.
(1) SHORT TITLE. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Drug-Free Workplace Act."
(2) PURPOSE. This section is intended to:
(a) Promote the goal of drug-free workplaces within government through fair and reasonable drug-testing methods
for the protection of public employees and employers.
(b) Encourage employers to provide employees who have drug use problems with an opportunity to participate in an
employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.
(c) Provide for confidentiality of testing results.
(3) FINDINGS. The Legislature finds that:
(a) Drug use has serious adverse effects upon a significant portion of the workforce, resulting in billions
of dollars of lost productivity each year and posing a threat to the workplace and to public safety and security.
(b) Maintaining a healthy and productive workforce, safe working conditions free from the effects of drugs, and
quality products and services is important to employers, employees, and the general public in this state. The Legislature
further finds that drug use creates a variety of workplace problems, including increased injury on the job, increased
absenteeism, increased financial burden on health and benefit programs, increased workplace theft, decreased employee
morale, decreased productivity, and a decline in the quality of products and services.
(c) Certain drug-testing standards are necessary to protect persons participating in workplace drug-testing programs.
(d) In balancing the interests of employers, employees, and the welfare of the general public, the establishment
of standards to assure fair and accurate testing for drugs in the workplace is in the best interests of all.
(4) NO LEGAL DUTY TO TEST. All drug testing conducted by employers shall be in conformity with the standards
established in this section and all applicable rules promulgated pursuant to this section. However, employers shall
not have a legal duty under this section to request an employee or job applicant to undergo drug testing. No testing
of employees shall take effect until local drug abuse assistance programs have been identified.
(5) DEFINITIONS. Except where the context otherwise requires, as used in this act:
(a) "Drug" means alcohol, including distilled spirits, wine, malt beverages, and intoxicating liquors;
amphetamines; cannabinoids; cocaine; phencyclidine (PCP); hallucinogens; methaqualone; opiates; barbiturates; benzodiazepines;
synthetic narcotics; designer drugs; or a metabolite of any of the substances listed herein.
(b) "Drug test" or "test" means any chemical, biological, or physical instrumental analysis
administered for the purpose of determining the presence or absence of a drug or its metabolites.
(c) "Initial drug test" means a sensitive, rapid, and reliable procedure to identify negative and presumptive
positive specimens. All initial tests must use an immunoassay procedure or an equivalent, or must use a more
accurate scientifically accepted method approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration as such more accurate
technology becomes available in a cost-effective form.
(d) "Confirmation test," "confirmed test," or "confirmed drug test" means a second
analytical procedure used to identify the presence of a specific drug or metabolite in a specimen. The confirmation
test must be different in scientific principle from that of the initial test procedure. This confirmation method
must be capable of providing requisite specificity, sensitivity, and quantitative accuracy.
(e) "Chain of custody" refers to the methodology of tracking specified materials or substances for the
purpose of maintaining control and accountability from initial collection to final disposition for all such materials
or substances and providing for accountability at each stage in handling, testing, storing specimens, and reporting
of test results.
(f) "Job applicant" means a person who has applied for a position with
an employer and has been offered employment conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test.
(g) "Employee" means a person who works for salary, wages, or other remuneration for an employer.
(h) "Employer" means an agency within state government that employs individuals for salary, wages, or
other remuneration.
(i) "Prescription or nonprescription medication" means a drug or medication obtained pursuant to a prescription
as defined by s. 893.02 or a medication that is authorized pursuant to federal or state law for general distribution
and use without a prescription in the treatment of human diseases, ailments, or injuries.
(j) "Random testing" means a drug test conducted on employees who are selected through the use of a computer-generated random sample of an employer's employees.
(k) "Reasonable suspicion drug testing" means drug testing based on a belief that an employee is using
or has used drugs in violation of the employer's policy drawn from specific objective and articulable facts and
reasonable inferences drawn from those facts in light of experience. Reasonable suspicion drug testing shall not
be required except upon the recommendation of a supervisor who is at least one level of supervision higher than
the immediate supervisor of the employee in question. Among other things, such facts and inferences may be based
upon:
1. Observable phenomena while at work, such as direct observation of drug use or of the physical symptoms or
manifestations of being under the influence of a drug.
2. Abnormal conduct or erratic behavior while at work or a significant deterioration in work performance.
3. A report of drug use, provided by a reliable and credible source, which has been independently corroborated.
4. Evidence that an individual has tampered with a drug test during employment with the current employer.
5. Information that an employee has caused, or contributed to, an accident while at work.
6. Evidence that an employee has used, possessed, sold, solicited, or transferred drugs while working or while
on the employer's premises or while operating the employer's vehicle, machinery, or equipment.
(l) "Specimen" means a tissue, hair, or product of the human body capable of revealing the presence
of drugs or their metabolites.
(m) "Employee assistance program" means an established program for employee assessment, counseling, and
possible referral to an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.
(n) "Special risk" means employees who are required as a condition of employment to be certified under
chapter 633 or chapter 943.
(6) NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES.
(a) Employers with no drug-testing program shall ensure that at least 60 days elapse between a general one-time
notice to all employees that a drug-testing program is being implemented and the beginning of actual drug testing.
Employers with drug-testing programs in place prior to the effective date of this section are not required to provide
a 60-day notice period.
(b) Prior to testing, all employees and job applicants for employment shall be given a written policy statement
from the employer which contains:
1. A general statement of the employer's policy on employee drug use, which shall identify:
a. The types of testing an employee or job applicant may be required to submit to, including reasonable suspicion
or other basis; and
b. The actions the employer may take against an employee or job applicant on the basis of a positive confirmed
drug test result.
2. A statement advising the employee or job applicant of the existence of this section.
3. A general statement concerning confidentiality.
4. Procedures for employees and job applicants to confidentially report the use of prescription or nonprescription
medications both before and after being tested. Additionally, employees and job applicants shall receive notice
of the most common medications by brand name or common name, as applicable, as well as by chemical name, which
may alter or affect a drug test. A list of such medications shall be developed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
5. The consequences of refusing to submit to a drug test.
6. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of employee assistance programs and local alcohol and drug rehabilitation
programs.
7. A statement that an employee or job applicant who receives a positive confirmed drug test result may contest
or explain the result to the employer within 5 working days after written notification of the positive test result.
If an employee or job applicant's explanation or challenge is unsatisfactory to the employer, the person may contest
the drug test result as provided by subsections (14) and (15).
8. A statement informing the employee or job applicant of his or her responsibility to notify the laboratory of
any administrative or civil actions brought pursuant to this section.
9. A list of all drugs for which the employer will test, described by brand names or common names, as applicable,
as well as by chemical names.
10. A statement regarding any applicable collective bargaining agreement or contract and the right to appeal to
the Public Employees Relations Commission.
11. A statement notifying employees and job applicants of their right to consult the testing laboratory for technical
information regarding prescription and nonprescription medication.
(c) An employer shall include notice of drug testing on vacancy announcements for those positions where drug
testing is required. A notice of the employer's drug-testing policy shall also be posted in an appropriate and
conspicuous location on the employer's premises, and copies of the policy shall be made available for inspection
by the general public during regular business hours in the employer's personnel office or other suitable locations.
(7) TYPES OF TESTING. Drug testing must be conducted within each agency's appropriation. An employer may conduct, but is not required to conduct, the following types of
drug tests:
(a) Job applicant testing. An employer may require job applicants to submit to a drug test and may use a refusal
to submit to a drug test or a positive confirmed drug test as a basis for refusal to hire the job applicant.
(b) Reasonable suspicion. An employer may require an employee to submit to reasonable suspicion drug testing.
© Random testing.-An employer may conduct random testing once every 3 months. The random sample of employees chosen for testing must be computer-generated by an independent third party. A random sample may not constitute more than 10 percent of the total employee population.
(d) Routine fitness for duty. An employer may require an employee to submit to a drug test if the test is conducted
as part of a routinely scheduled employee fitness-for-duty medical examination that is part of the employer's established
policy or that is scheduled routinely for all members of an employment classification or group.
(e) Followup testing. If the employee in the course of employment enters an employee assistance program for drug-related
problems, or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program, the employer may require the employee to submit to a
drug test as a followup to such program, and on a quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis for up to 2 years thereafter.
(8) PROCEDURES AND EMPLOYEE PROTECTION. All specimen collection and testing for drugs under this section
shall be performed in accordance with the following procedures:
(a) A sample shall be collected with due regard to the privacy of the individual providing the sample, and in
a manner reasonably calculated to prevent substitution or contamination of the sample.
(b) Specimen collection shall be documented, and the documentation procedures shall include:
1. Labeling of specimen containers so as to reasonably preclude the likelihood of erroneous identification of test
results.
2. A form for the employee or job applicant to provide any information he or she considers relevant to the test,
including identification of currently or recently used prescription or nonprescription medication, or other relevant
medical information. Such form shall provide notice of the most common medications by brand name or common name,
as applicable, as well as by chemical name, which may alter or affect a drug test. The providing of information
does not preclude the administration of the drug test, but shall be taken into account in interpreting any positive
confirmed results.
(c) Specimen collection, storage, and transportation to the testing site shall be performed in a manner that will
reasonably preclude specimen contamination or adulteration.
(d) Each initial and confirmation test conducted under this section, not including the taking or collecting of
a specimen to be tested, shall be conducted by a licensed laboratory as described in subsection (12).
(e) A specimen for a drug test may be taken or collected by any of the following persons:
1. A physician, a physician's assistant, a registered professional nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a nurse
practitioner, or a certified paramedic who is present at the scene of an accident for the purpose of rendering
emergency medical service or treatment.
2. A qualified person employed by a licensed laboratory.
(f) A person who collects or takes a specimen for a drug test conducted pursuant to this section shall collect
an amount sufficient for two drug tests as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
(g) Any drug test conducted or requested by an employer may occur before, during, or immediately after the regular
work period of the employee, and shall be deemed to be performed during work time for the purposes of determining
compensation and benefits for the employee.
(h) Every specimen that produces a positive confirmed result shall be preserved by the licensed laboratory that
conducts the confirmation test for a period of at least 210 days from the time the results of the positive confirmation
test are mailed or otherwise delivered to the employer. However, if an employee or job applicant undertakes an
administrative or legal challenge to the test result, the employee or job applicant shall notify the laboratory
and the sample shall be retained by the laboratory until the case or administrative appeal is settled. During the
180-day period after written notification of a positive test result, the employee or job applicant who has provided
the specimen shall be permitted by the employer to have a portion of the specimen retested, at the employee or
job applicant's expense, at another laboratory, licensed and approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration,
chosen by the employee or job applicant. The second laboratory must test at equal or greater sensitivity for the
drug in question as the first laboratory. The first laboratory that performed the test for the employer is responsible for the transfer of the portion of the specimen to be retested, and for the integrity of the chain
of custody during such transfer.
(i) Within 5 working days after receipt of a positive confirmed test result from the testing laboratory, an employer
shall inform an employee or job applicant in writing of such positive test result, the consequences of such results,
and the options available to the employee or job applicant.
(j) The employer shall provide to the employee or job applicant, upon request, a copy of the test results.
(k) Within 5 working days after receiving notice of a positive confirmed test result, the employee or job applicant
may submit information to an employer explaining or contesting the test results, and why the results do not constitute
a violation of the employer's policy.
(l) If an employee or job applicant's explanation or challenge of the positive test results is unsatisfactory to
the employer, a written explanation as to why the employee or job applicant's explanation is unsatisfactory, along
with the report of positive results, shall be provided by the employer to the employee or job applicant. All such
documentation shall be kept confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) by the employer pursuant
to subsection (11) and shall be retained by the employer for at least 1 year.
(m) An employer may not discharge, discipline, refuse to hire, discriminate against, or request or require rehabilitation
of an employee or job applicant on the sole basis of a positive test result that has not been verified by a confirmation
test.
(n) Upon successful completion of an employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program,
the employee shall be reinstated to the same or equivalent position that was held prior to such rehabilitation.
(o) An employer may not discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee, or refuse to hire a job applicant,
on the basis of any prior medical history revealed to the employer pursuant to this section.
(p) An employer who performs drug testing or specimen collection shall use chain-of-custody procedures as established
by the Agency for Health Care Administration to ensure proper recordkeeping, handling, labeling, and identification
of all specimens to be tested.
(q) An employer shall pay the cost of all drug tests, initial and confirmation, which the employer requires of
employees.
(r) An employee or job applicant shall pay the costs of any additional drug tests not required by the employer.
(s) An employer may not discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee solely upon voluntarily seeking
treatment, while under the employ of the employer, for a drug-related problem if the employee has not previously
tested positive for drug use, entered an employee assistance program for drug-related problems, or entered an alcohol
and drug rehabilitation program. However, special risk employees may be subject to discharge or disciplinary action
when the presence of illicit drugs, pursuant to s. 893.13, is confirmed.
(t) If testing is conducted based on reasonable suspicion, each employer shall promptly detail in writing the
circumstances which formed the basis of the determination that reasonable suspicion existed to warrant the testing.
A copy of this documentation shall be given to the employee upon request and the original documentation shall be
kept confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) by the employer pursuant to subsection (11) and
retained by the employer for at least 1 year.
(u) If an employee is unable to participate in outpatient rehabilitation, the employee may be placed on leave status
while participating in an employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program. If placed
on leave-without-pay status, the employee shall be permitted to use any accumulated leave credits prior to being
placed on leave without pay. Upon successful completion of an employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug
rehabilitation program, the employee shall be reinstated to the same or equivalent position that was held prior
to such rehabilitation.
(9) CONFIRMATION TESTING.
(a) If an initial drug test is negative, the employer may in its sole discretion and at the employer's expense
seek a confirmation test.
(b) Only licensed laboratories as described in subsection (12) shall conduct confirmation drug tests.
(c) All positive initial tests shall be confirmed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or an equivalent
or more accurate scientifically accepted method approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration as such technology
becomes available in a cost-effective form.
(10) EMPLOYER PROTECTION.
(a) No employee or job applicant whose drug test result is confirmed as positive in accordance with the provisions
of this section shall, by virtue of the result alone, be defined as a person with a "handicap" as cited
in the 1973 Rehabilitation Act.
(b) An employer who discharges or disciplines an employee or refuses to hire a job applicant in compliance with
this section shall be considered to have discharged, disciplined, or refused to hire for cause.
(c) No physician-patient relationship is created between an employee or job applicant and an employer or any person
performing or evaluating a drug test, solely by the establishment, implementation, or administration of a drug-testing
program.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an employer from establishing reasonable work rules related
to employee possession, use, sale, or solicitation of drugs, including convictions for drug-related offenses, and
taking action based upon a violation of any of those rules.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to operate retroactively, and nothing in this section shall abrogate
the right of an employer under state law to conduct drug tests prior to January 1, 1990. A drug test conducted
by an employer prior to January 1, 1990, is not subject to this section.
(f) If an employee or job applicant refuses to submit to a drug test, the employer shall not be barred from discharging
or disciplining the employee, or from refusing to hire the job applicant. However, nothing in this paragraph shall
abrogate the rights and remedies of the employee or job applicant as otherwise provided in this section.
(g) An employer who refuses to hire a job applicant based on a positive confirmed drug test result shall not be
required to hold the employment position vacant while the job applicant pursues administrative action. However,
should the job applicant prevail in the actions, the employer shall provide him or her the opportunity of employment
in the next available comparable position.
(h) An employer may discharge or discipline an employee following a first-time positive confirmed drug test result. If the employer does not discharge the employee, the employer may refer the employee to an employee assistance
program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program in which the employee may participate at the expense of the employee or pursuant to a health insurance plan.
1. If an employer refers an employee to an employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program, the employer must determine whether the employee is able to safely and effectively perform the job duties assigned to the employee while the employee participates in the employee assistance program or the alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.
2. An employee whose assigned duties require the employee to carry a firearm, work closely with an employee who carries a firearm, perform life-threatening procedures, work with heavy or dangerous machinery, work as a safety inspector, work with children, work with detainees in the correctional system, work with confidential information or documents pertaining to criminal investigations, work with controlled substances, hold a position subject to s. 11.1127, or hold a position in a momentary lapse in attention could result in injury or death to another person, is deemed unable to safely and effectively perform the job duties assigned to the employee while the employee participates in the employee assistance program or the alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.
3. If an employer refers an employee to an employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program and the employer determines that the employee is unable, or the employee is deemed unable, to safely and effectively perform the job duties assigned to the employee before he or she completes the employee assistance program or the alcohol and drug rehabilitation program, the employer shall place the employee in a job assignment that the employer determines the employee can safely and effectively perform while participating in the employee assistance program or the alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.
4. If a job assignment in which the employee may safely and effectively perform is unavailable, the employer shall place the employee on leave status while the employee is participating in an employee assistance program or an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program. If placed on leave status without pay, the employee may use accumulated leave credits before being placed on leave without pay.
(i) This section does not prohibit an employer from conducting medical screening or other
tests required by any statute, rule, or regulation for the purpose of monitoring exposure of employees to toxic
or other unhealthy substances in the workplace or in the performance of job responsibilities. Such screening or
tests shall be limited to the specific substances expressly identified in the applicable statute, rule, or regulation,
unless prior written consent of the employee is obtained for other tests.
(11) CONFIDENTIALITY.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, all information, interviews, reports, statements, memoranda,
and drug test results, written or otherwise, received or produced as a result of a drug-testing program are confidential
and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, and may not be used
or received in evidence, obtained in discovery, or disclosed in any public or private proceedings, except in accordance
with this section.
(b) Employers, laboratories, employee assistance programs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and their
agents may not release any information concerning drug test results obtained pursuant to this section without a
written consent form signed voluntarily by the person tested, except where such release is compelled by a hearing
officer or a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to an appeal taken under this section, or where deemed appropriate
by a professional or occupational licensing board in a related disciplinary proceeding. The consent form must contain,
at a minimum:
1. The name of the person who is authorized to obtain the information.
2. The purpose of the disclosure.
3. The precise information to be disclosed.
4. The duration of the consent.
5. The signature of the person authorizing release of the information.
(c) Information on drug test results shall not be released or used in any criminal proceeding against the employee
or job applicant. Information released contrary to this section shall be inadmissible as evidence in any such criminal
proceeding.
(d) Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit certifying bodies of special risk employees from receiving information
on positive confirmed drug test results for the purpose of reviewing certification.
(e) Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the employer, agent of the employer, or laboratory conducting
a drug test from having access to employee drug test information when consulting with legal counsel in connection
with actions brought under or related to this section or where the information is relevant to its defense in a
civil or administrative matter.
(12) DRUG-TESTING STANDARDS; LABORATORIES.
(a) A laboratory may analyze initial or confirmation drug specimens only if:
1. The laboratory is licensed and approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration using criteria established
by the United States Department of Health and Human Services as general guidelines for modeling the state drug
testing program. Each applicant for licensure must comply with the following requirements:
a. Upon receipt of a completed, signed, and dated application, the agency shall require background screening, in
accordance with the level 2 standards for screening set forth in chapter 435, of the managing employee, or other
similarly titled individual responsible for the daily operation of the laboratory, and of the financial officer,
or other similarly titled individual who is responsible for the financial operation of the laboratory, including
billings for services. The applicant must comply with the procedures for level 2 background screening as set forth
in chapter 435, as well as the requirements of s. 435.03(3).
b. The agency may require background screening of any other individual who is an applicant if the agency has probable
cause to believe that he or she has been convicted of an offense prohibited under the level 2 standards for screening
set forth in chapter 435.
c. Proof of compliance with the level 2 background screening requirements of chapter 435 which has been submitted
within the previous 5 years in compliance with any other health care licensure requirements of this state is acceptable
in fulfillment of screening requirements.
d. A provisional license may be granted to an applicant when each individual required by this section to undergo
background screening has met the standards for the Department of Law Enforcement background check, but the agency
has not yet received background screening results from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or a request for a
disqualification exemption has been submitted to the agency as set forth in chapter 435, but a response has not
yet been issued. A license may be granted to the applicant upon the agency's receipt of a report of the results
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation background screening for each individual required by this section to undergo
background screening which confirms that all standards have been met, or upon the granting of a disqualification
exemption by the agency as set forth in chapter 435. Any other person who is required to undergo level 2 background
screening may serve in his or her capacity pending the agency's receipt of the report from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. However, the person may not continue to serve if the report indicates any violation of background
screening standards and a disqualification exemption has not been requested of and granted by the agency as set
forth in chapter 435.
e. Each applicant must submit to the agency, with its application, a description and explanation of any exclusions,
permanent suspensions, or terminations of the applicant from the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Proof of compliance
with the requirements for disclosure of ownership and control interests under the Medicaid or Medicare programs
shall be accepted in lieu of this submission.
f. Each applicant must submit to the agency a description and explanation of any conviction of an offense prohibited
under the level 2 standards of chapter 435 by a member of the board of directors of the applicant, its officers,
or any individual owning 5 percent or more of the applicant. This requirement does not apply to a director of a
not-for-profit corporation or organization if the director serves solely in a voluntary capacity for the corporation
or organization, does not regularly take part in the day-to-day operational decisions of the corporation or organization,
receives no remuneration for his or her services on the corporation or organization's board of directors, and has
no financial interest and has no family members with a financial interest in the corporation or organization, provided
that the director and the not-for-profit corporation or organization include in the application a statement affirming
that the director's relationship to the corporation satisfies the requirements of this sub-subparagraph.
g. A license may not be granted to any applicant if the applicant or managing employee has been found guilty of,
regardless of adjudication, or has entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, any offense prohibited under
the level 2 standards for screening set forth in chapter 435, unless an exemption from disqualification has been
granted by the agency as set forth in chapter 435.
h. The agency may deny or revoke licensure if the applicant:
(I) Has falsely represented a material fact in the application required by sub-subparagraph e. or sub-subparagraph
f., or has omitted any material fact from the application required by sub-subparagraph e. or sub-subparagraph f.;
or
(II) Has had prior action taken against the applicant under the Medicaid or Medicare program as set forth in sub-subparagraph
e.
i. An application for license renewal must contain the information required under sub-subparagraphs e. and f.
2. The laboratory has written procedures to ensure chain of custody.
3. The laboratory follows proper quality control procedures, including, but not limited to:
a. The use of internal quality controls including the use of samples of known concentrations which are used
to check the performance and calibration of testing equipment, and periodic use of blind samples for overall accuracy.
b. An internal review and certification process for drug test results, conducted by a person qualified to perform
that function in the testing laboratory.
c. Security measures implemented by the testing laboratory to preclude adulteration of specimens and drug test
results.
d. Other necessary and proper actions taken to ensure reliable and accurate drug test results.
(b) A laboratory shall disclose to the employer a written test result report within 7 working days after receipt
of the sample. All laboratory reports of a drug test result shall, at a minimum, state:
1. The name and address of the laboratory which performed the test and the positive identification of the person
tested.
2. Positive results on confirmation tests only, or negative results, as applicable.
3. A list of the drugs for which the drug analyses were conducted.
4. The type of tests conducted for both initial and confirmation tests and the minimum cutoff levels of the tests.
5. Any correlation between medication reported by the employee or job applicant pursuant to subparagraph (8)(b)2.
and a positive confirmed drug test result.
No report shall disclose the presence or absence of any drug other than a specific drug and its metabolites listed
pursuant to this section.
(c) The laboratory shall submit to the Agency for Health Care Administration a monthly report with statistical
information regarding the testing of employees and job applicants. The reports shall include information on the
methods of analyses conducted, the drugs tested for, the number of positive and negative results for both initial
and confirmation tests, and any other information deemed appropriate by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
No monthly report shall identify specific employees or job applicants.
(d) Laboratories shall provide technical assistance to the employer, employee, or job applicant for the purpose
of interpreting any positive confirmed test results which could have been caused by prescription or nonprescription
medication taken by the employee or job applicant.
(13) RULES.
(a) The Agency for Health Care Administration may adopt additional rules to support this law, using criteria
established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services as general guidelines for modeling the
state drug-testing program, concerning, but not limited to:
1. Standards for drug-testing laboratory licensing, suspension, and revocation of a license.
2. Urine, hair, blood, and other body specimens and minimum specimen amounts which are appropriate for drug testing,
not inconsistent with other provisions established by law.
3. Methods of analysis and procedures to ensure reliable drug-testing results, including standards for initial
tests and confirmation tests, not inconsistent with other provisions established by law.
4. Minimum cutoff detection levels for drugs or their metabolites for the purposes of determining a positive test
result, not inconsistent with other provisions established by law.
5. Chain-of-custody procedures to ensure proper identification, labeling, and handling of specimens being tested,
not inconsistent with other provisions established by law.
6. Retention, storage, and transportation procedures to ensure reliable results on confirmation tests and retests.
7. A list of the most common medications by brand name or common name, as applicable, as well as by chemical name,
which may alter or affect a drug test.
(b) The following standards and procedures are established related to hair testing:
1. Hair cutoff levels for initial drug-screening tests. The following initial cutoff levels must be used when
screening hair specimens to determine whether they are negative for these drugs or their metabolites:
a. Marijuana: 10 pg/10 mg of hair;
b. Cocaine: 5 ng/10 mg of hair; and
c. Opiate/synthetic narcotics and metabolites: 5 ng/10 mg of hair. For the purpose of this section, opiate and
metabolites include the following:
(I) Codeine;
(II) Heroin, monoacetylmorphine (heroin metabolites);
(III) Morphine;
d. Phencyclidine: 3 ng/10 mg of hair; and
e. Amphetamines: 5 ng/10 mg of hair. For the purpose of this section, amphetamines include the following:
(I) Amphetamines;
(II) Methamphetamine;
2. Hair cutoff levels for drug confirmation testing.
a. All specimens identified as positive on the initial test must be confirmed using gas chromatography/mass
spectrometry (GC/MS), mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS/MS) at the following cutoff levels for these drugs
on their metabolites. All confirmations must be by quantitative analysis.
(I) Marijuana metabolites: 1 pg/10 mg of hair (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-0-carboxylic acid).
(II) Cocaine: must be at or above 5 ng/10 mg of hair. Cocaine metabolites if present will be recorded at the following
minimum levels:
(A) Benzoylecgonine at 1 ng/10 mg of hair; and
(B) Cocaethlyene at 1 ng/10 mg of hair.
(III) Opiate/synthetic narcotics and metabolites: 5 ng/10 mg of hair; opiate and metabolites include the following:
(A) Codeine;
(B) 6-Monoacetylmorphine (heroin metabolite); and
(C) Morphine.
(IV) Phencyclidine: 3 ng/10 mg of hair.
(V) Amphetamines: 5 ng/10 mg of hair. For the purpose of this section, amphetamines include the following:
(A) Amphetamines; and
(B) Methamphetamines.
b. All hair specimens undergoing confirmation must be decontaminated using a wash procedure which has been published
in the peer-reviewed literature which, as a minimum, has an initial 15-minute organic solvent wash followed by
multiple (minimum of three) 30-minute aqueous washes.
c. After hair is washed, the drug entrapped in the hair is released either by digestion (chemical or enzymatic)
or by multiple solvent extractions. The resulting digest or pooled solvent extracts are then screened and confirmed
by approved methods.
d. All confirmation analysis methods must eliminate the melanin fraction of the hair before analysis. If a nondigestion
method is used, the laboratory must present published data in the peer-reviewed literature from a large population
study which indicates that the method of extraction does not possess a statistically significant hair-color bias.
e. Additional hair samples may be collected to reconfirm the initial report. The recollected sample shall be retested
as specified; however, the confirmation analysis must be performed even if the screening test is negative. A second
positive report must be made if the drug concentration in the digest by confirmation methods exceeds the limit
of quantitation of the testing laboratory's method. A second test must be offered to anyone disputing a positive
hair test result.
3. Hair specimen collection procedures.
a. Designation of collection site. Each drug-testing program shall have one or more designated collection sites
which have all necessary personnel, materials, equipment, facilities, and supervision to provide for the collection,
security, temporary storage, and shipping or transportation of hair specimens to a licensed drug-testing facility.
b. Security. While security is important with any collection, in the case of hair, only the temporary storage area
in the designated collection site needs to be secure.
c. Chain of custody. Chain-of-custody standardized forms shall be properly executed by authorized collection site
personnel upon receipt of specimens. Handling and transportation of hair specimens from one authorized individual
or place to another shall always be accomplished through chain-of-custody procedures. Every effort shall be made
to minimize the number of persons handling specimens.
d. Access to authorized personnel only. The hair collection site need be off limits to unauthorized personnel only
during the actual collection of specimens.
e. Privacy. Procedures for collecting hair should be performed on one individual at a time to prevent substitutions
or interference with the collection of reliable samples. Procedures must ensure that the hair collection does not
infringe on the individual's privacy.
f. Integrity and identity of specimen. Precautions must be taken to ensure that the root end of a hair specimen
is indicated for the laboratory which performs the testing. The maximum length of hair that shall be tested is
3.9 cm distal from the head, which on average represents a 3-month time window. The following minimum precautions
must be taken when collecting a hair specimen to ensure that specimens are obtained and correctly identified:
(I) When an individual arrives at the collection site, the collection site personnel shall request the individual
to present photo identification. If the individual does not have proper photo identification, the collection site
personnel shall contact the supervisor of the individual, the coordinator of the drug testing program, or any other
employer official who can positively identify the individual. If the individual's identity cannot be established,
the collection site personnel shall not proceed with the collection.
(II) If the individual fails to arrive at the assigned time, the collection site personnel shall contact the appropriate
authority to obtain guidance on the action to be taken.
(III) The collection site personnel shall note any unusual behavior or appearance on the chain-of-custody form.
(IV) Hair shall be cut as close to the scalp or body, excluding the pubic area, as possible. Upon taking the specimen
from the individual, the collection site personnel shall determine that it contains approximately 1/2-inch of hair
when fanned out on a ruler (about 40 mg of hair).
(V) Both the individual being tested and the collection site personnel shall keep the specimen in view at all times
prior to the specimen container being sealed with a tamper-resistant seal and labeled with the individual's specimen
number and other required information.
(VI) The collection site personnel shall label the container which contains the hair with the date, the individual's
specimen number, and any other identifying information provided or required by the drug-testing program.
(VII) The individual shall initial the container for the purpose of certifying that it is the specimen collected
from the individual.
(VIII) The collection site personnel shall indicate on the chain-of-custody form all information identifying the
specimen. The collection site personnel shall sign the chain-of-custody form next to the identifying information
or the chain of custody on the specimen container.
(IX) The individual must be asked to read and sign a statement certifying that the specimen identified as having
been collected from the individual is in fact that specimen the individual provided.
(X) The collection site personnel shall complete the chain-of-custody form.
g. Collection control. To the maximum extent possible, collection site personnel shall keep the individual's specimen
container within sight both before and after collection. After the specimen is collected, it must be properly sealed
and labeled. An approved chain-of-custody form must be used for maintaining control and accountability of each
specimen from the point of collection to final disposition of the specimen. The date and purpose must be documented
on an approved chain-of-custody form each time a specimen is handled or transferred, and every individual in the
chain must be identified. Every effort must be made to minimize the number of persons handling specimens.
h. Transportation to the testing facility. Collection site personnel shall arrange to transport the collected specimens
to the drug-testing facility. The specimens shall be placed in containers which shall be securely sealed to eliminate
the possibility of undetected tampering. The collection site personnel shall ensure that the chain-of-custody documentation
is sealed separately from the specimen and placed inside the container sealed for transfer to the drug-testing
facility.
4. Quality assurance and quality control.
a. Quality assurance. Testing facilities shall have a quality assurance program which encompasses all aspects
of the testing process, including, but not limited to, specimen acquisition, chain of custody, security and reporting
of results, initial and confirmatory testing, and validation of analytical procedures. Quality assurance procedures
shall be designed, implemented, and reviewed to monitor the conduct of each step of the process of testing for
drugs.
b. Quality control.
(I) Each analytical run of specimens to be screened shall include:
(A) Hair specimens certified to contain no drug;
(B) Hair specimens fortified with known standards; and
(C) Positive controls with the drug or metabolite at or near the threshold (cutoff).
(II) In addition, with each batch of samples, a sufficient number of standards shall be included to ensure and
document the linearity of the assay method over time in the concentration area of the cutoff. After acceptable
values are obtained for the known standards, those values must be used to calculate sample data. Implementation
of procedures to ensure that carryover does not contaminate the testing of an individual's specimen must be documented.
A minimum of 5 percent of all test samples must be quality control specimens. The testing facility's quality control
samples, prepared from fortified hair samples of determined concentration, must be included in the run and must
appear as normal samples to drug-screen testing facility analysis. One percent of each run, with a minimum of at
least one sample, must be the testing facility's own quality control samples.
5.
a. Proficiency testing.
(I) Each hair drug-testing facility shall enroll and demonstrate satisfactory performance in a proficiency-testing
program established by an independent group.
(II) The drug-testing facility shall maintain records which document the handling, processing, and examination
of all proficiency-testing samples for a minimum of 2 years from the date of testing.
(III) The drug-testing facility shall ensure that proficiency-testing samples are analyzed at least three times
each year using the same techniques as those employed for unknown specimens.
(IV) The proficiency-testing samples must be included with the routine sample run and tested with the same frequency
as unknown samples by the individuals responsible for testing unknown specimens.
(V) The drug-testing facility may not engage in discussions or communications concerning proficiency-testing results
with other drug-testing facilities, nor may they send proficiency-testing samples or portions of the samples to
another drug-testing facility for analysis.
b. Satisfactory performance.
(I) The drug-testing facility shall maintain an overall testing-event score equivalent to passing proficiency
scores for other drug-testing matrices.
(II) Failure to participate in a proficiency-testing event shall result in a score of 0 percent for that testing
event.
c. Unsuccessful performance. Failure to achieve satisfactory performance in two consecutive testing events, or
two out of three consecutive testing events, is determined to be unsuccessful performance.
(c) The Department of Management Services may adopt rules for all executive branch agencies implementing this
section.
(d) The Board of Regents may adopt rules for the State University System implementing this section.
(e) The State Courts Administrator may adopt rules for the state courts system implementing this section.
(f) The Justice Administrative Commission may adopt rules on behalf of the state attorneys and public defenders
of Florida, the Office of Capital Collateral Representative of Florida, and the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
(g) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may adopt rules, policies, or procedures
for the employees and members of the legislative branch implementing this section.
This section shall not be construed to eliminate the bargainable rights as provided in the collective bargaining
process where applicable.
(14) DISCIPLINE REMEDIES.
(a) An executive branch employee who is disciplined or who is a job applicant for another position and is not
hired pursuant to this section, may file an appeal with the Public Employees Relations Commission. Any appeal must
be filed within 30 calendar days of receipt by the employee or job applicant of notice of discipline or refusal
to hire. The notice shall inform the employee or job applicant of the right to file an appeal, or if available,
the right to file a collective bargaining grievance pursuant to s. 447.401. Such appeals shall be resolved pursuant
to the procedures established in ss. 447.207(1)-(4), 447.208(2), and 447.503(4) and (5). A hearing on the appeal
shall be conducted within 30 days of the filing of the appeal, unless an extension is requested by the employee
or job applicant and granted by the commission or an arbitrator.
(b) The commission shall promulgate rules concerning the receipt, processing, and resolution of appeals filed pursuant
to this section.
(c) Appeals to the commission shall be the exclusive administrative remedy for any employee who is disciplined
or any job applicant who is not hired pursuant to this section, notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 120.
However, nothing in this subsection shall affect the right of an employee or job applicant to file a collective
bargaining grievance pursuant to s. 447.401 provided that an employee or job applicant may not file both an appeal
and a grievance.
(d) An employee or a job applicant who has been disciplined or who has not been hired pursuant to this section
must exhaust either the administrative appeal process or collective bargaining grievance-arbitration process.
(e) Upon resolving an appeal filed pursuant to paragraph (c), and finding a violation of this section, the commission
may order the following relief:
1. Rescind the disciplinary action, expunge related records from the personnel file of the employee or job applicant
and reinstate the employee.
2. Order compliance with paragraph (10)(g).
3. Award back pay and benefits.
4. Award the prevailing employee or job applicant the necessary costs of the appeal, reasonable attorney's fees,
and expert witness fees.
(15) NONDISCIPLINE REMEDIES.
(a) Any person alleging a violation of the provisions of this section, that is not remediable by the commission
or an arbitrator pursuant to subsection (14), must institute a civil action for injunctive relief or damages, or
both, in a court of competent jurisdiction within 180 days of the alleged violation, or be barred from obtaining
the following relief. Relief is limited to:
1. An order restraining the continued violation of this section.
2. An award of the costs of litigation, expert witness fees, reasonable attorney's fees, and noneconomic damages
provided that damages shall be limited to the recovery of damages directly resulting from injury or loss caused
by each violation of this section.
(b) Any employer who complies with the provisions of this section shall be without liability from all civil
actions arising from any drug testing program or procedure performed in compliance with this section.
(c) Pursuant to any claim alleging a violation of this section, including a claim under this section where it is
alleged that an employer's action with respect to a person was based on an incorrect test result, there shall be
a rebuttable presumption that the test was valid if the employer complied with the provisions of this section.
(d) No cause of action shall arise in favor of any person based upon the failure of an employer to establish a
program or policy for drug testing.
(16) FEDERAL COMPLIANCE.
The drug-testing procedures provided in this section do not apply where the specific work performed requires
employees or job applicants to be subject to drug testing pursuant to:
(a) Federal regulations that specifically preempt state and local regulation of drug testing with respect to
such employees and job applicants;
(b) Federal regulations or requirements enacted or implemented in connection with the operation of federally regulated
facilities;
(c) Federal contracts where the drug testing is conducted for safety, or protection of sensitive or proprietary
data or national security; or
(d) State agency rules that adopt federal regulations applicable to the interstate component of a federally regulated
activity.
(17) LICENSE FEE.
Fees from licensure of drug-testing laboratories shall be sufficient to carry out the responsibilities of the
Agency for Health Care Administration for the regulation of drug-testing laboratories. The Agency for Health Care
Administration shall collect fees for all licenses issued under this part. Each nonrefundable fee shall be due
at the time of application and shall be payable to the Agency for Health Care Administration to be deposited in
a trust fund administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration and used only for the purposes of this section.
The fee schedule is as follows: For licensure as a drug-testing laboratory, an annual fee of not less than $8,000
or more than $10,000 per fiscal year; for late filing of an application for renewal, an additional fee of $500
per day shall be charged. (Effective 7/1/2012)
Title XXXI - Labor
Chapter 440 Workers' Compensation
440.101. Drug-free workplace program; Legislative intent.
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote drug-free workplaces in order that employers in the state
be afforded the opportunity to maximize their levels of productivity, enhance their competitive positions in the
marketplace, and reach their desired levels of success without experiencing the costs, delays, and tragedies associated
with work-related accidents resulting from drug abuse by employees. It is further the intent of the Legislature
that drug abuse be discouraged and that employees who choose to engage in drug abuse face the risk of unemployment
and the forfeiture of workers' compensation benefits.
(2) If an employer implements a drug-free workplace program in accordance with section 440.102 which includes notice,
education, and procedural requirements for testing for drugs and alcohol pursuant to law or to rules developed
by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the employer may require the employee to submit to a test for the
presence of drugs or alcohol and, if a drug or alcohol is found to be present in the employee's system at a level
prescribed by rule adopted pursuant to this act, the employee may be terminated and forfeits his or her eligibility
for medical and indemnity benefits. However, a drug-free workplace program must require the employer to notify
all employees that it is a condition of employment for an employee to refrain from reporting to work or working
with the presence of drugs or alcohol in his or her body and, if an injured employee refuses to submit to a test
for drugs or alcohol, the employee forfeits eligibility for medical and indemnity benefits.
440.102. Drug-free workplace program; Requirements.
The following provisions apply to a drug-free workplace program implemented pursuant to law or to rules adopted
by the Agency for Health Care Administration:
(1) DEFINITIONS. Except where the context otherwise requires, as used in this act:
(a) "Chain of custody" refers to the methodology of tracking specified materials or substances for
the purpose of maintaining control and accountability from initial collection to final disposition for all such
materials or substances and providing for accountability at each stage in handling, testing, and storing specimens
and reporting test results.
(b) "Confirmation test," "confirmed test," or "confirmed drug test" means a second
analytical procedure used to identify the presence of a specific drug or metabolite in a specimen, which test must
be different in scientific principle from that of the initial test procedure and must be capable of providing requisite
specificity, sensitivity, and quantitative accuracy.
(c) "Drug" means alcohol, including a distilled spirit, wine, a malt beverage, or an intoxicating liquor;
an amphetamine; a cannabinoid; cocaine; phencyclidine (PCP); a hallucinogen; methaqualone; an opiate; a barbiturate;
a benzodiazepine; a synthetic narcotic; a designer drug; or a metabolite of any of the substances listed in this
paragraph. An employer may test an individual for any or all of such drugs.
(d) "Drug rehabilitation program" means a service provider, established pursuant s. 397.311 (28), that
provides confidential, timely, and expert identification, assessment, and resolution of employee drug abuse.
(e) "Drug test" or "test" means any chemical, biological, or physical instrumental analysis
administered, by a laboratory certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or licensed
by the Agency for Health Care Administration, for the purpose of determining the presence or absence of a drug
or its metabolites.
(f) "Employee" means any person who works for salary, wages, or other remuneration for an employer.
(g) "Employee assistance program" means an established program capable of providing expert assessment
of employee personal concerns; confidential and timely identification services with regard to employee drug abuse;
referrals of employees for appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and assistance; and followup services for employees
who participate in the program or require monitoring after returning to work. If, in addition to the above activities,
an employee assistance program provides diagnostic and treatment services, these services shall in all cases be
provided by service providers pursuant to s. 397.311 (28).
(h) "Employer" means a person or entity that employs a person and that is covered by the Workers' Compensation
Law.
(i) "Initial drug test" means a sensitive, rapid, and reliable procedure to identify negative and presumptive
positive specimens, using an immunoassay procedure or an equivalent, or a more accurate scientifically accepted
method approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration or the Agency for Health Care Administration
as such more accurate technology becomes available in a cost-effective form.
(j) "Job applicant" means a person who has applied for a position with an employer and has been offered
employment conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test, and may have begun work pending the results of the
drug test. For a public employer, "job applicant" means only a person who has applied for a special-risk
or mandatory testing position.
(k) "Medical review officer" or "MRO" means a licensed physician, employed with or contracted
with an employer, who has knowledge of substance abuse disorders, laboratory testing procedures, and chain of custody
collection procedures; who verifies positive, confirmed test results; and who has the necessary medical training
to interpret and evaluate an employee's positive test result in relation to the employee's medical history or any
other relevant biomedical information.
(l) "Prescription or nonprescription medication" means a drug or medication obtained pursuant to a prescription
as defined by s. 893.02 or a medication that is authorized pursuant to federal or state law for general distribution
and use without a prescription in the treatment of human diseases, ailments, or injuries.
(m) "Public employer" means any agency within state, county, or municipal government that employs individuals
for a salary, wages, or other remuneration.
(n) "Reasonable-suspicion drug testing" means drug testing based on a belief that an employee is using
or has used drugs in violation of the employer's policy drawn from specific objective and articulable facts and
reasonable inferences drawn from those facts in light of experience. Among other things, such facts and inferences
may be based upon:
1. Observable phenomena while at work, such as direct observation of drug use or of the physical symptoms or
manifestations of being under the influence of a drug.
2. Abnormal conduct or erratic behavior while at work or a significant deterioration in work performance.
3. A report of drug use, provided by a reliable and credible source.
4. Evidence that an individual has tampered with a drug test during his or her employment with the current employer.
5. Information that an employee has caused, contributed to, or been involved in an accident while at work.
6. Evidence that an employee has used, possessed, sold, solicited, or transferred drugs while working or while
on the employer's premises or while operating the employer's vehicle, machinery, or equipment.
(o) "Mandatory-testing position" means, with respect to a public employer, a job assignment that requires the employee to carry a firearm, work closely with an employee who carries a firearm, perform life-threatening procedures, work with heavy dangerous machinery, work as a safety inspector, work with children, work with detainees in the correctional system, work with confidential information or documents pertaining to criminal investigations, work with controlled substances, or a job assignment that requires an employee security background check, pursuant to s. 110.1127 or a job assignment in which a momentary lapse in attention could result in injury or death to another person.
(p) "Special-risk position" means, with respect to a public employer, a position that is required to
be filled by a person who is certified under chapter 633 or chapter 943.
(q) "Specimen" means tissue, hair, or a product of the human body capable of revealing the presence of
drugs or their metabolites, as approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration or the Agency for Health
Care Administration.
(2) DRUG TESTING.
An employer may test an employee or job applicant for any drug described in paragraph (1)(c). In order to qualify
as having established a drug-free workplace program under this section and to qualify for the discounts provided
under s. 627.0915 and deny medical and indemnity benefits under this chapter, an employer must, at a minimum, implement drug testing
that conforms to the standards and procedures established in this section and all applicable rules adopted pursuant
to this section as required in subsection (4). However, an employer does not have a legal duty under this section
to request an employee or job applicant to undergo drug testing. If an employer fails to maintain a drug-free workplace
program in accordance with the standards and procedures established in this section and in applicable rules, the
employer is ineligible for discounts under s. 627.0915. However, an employer qualifies for discounts under s. 627.0915 if the employer maintains a drug-free workplace program that is broader in scope than that provided for by the standards and procedures established in this section. An employer who qualifies for and receives discounts provided
under s. 627.0915 must be reported annually by the insurer to the department.
(3) NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES AND JOB APPLICANTS.
(a) One time only, prior to testing, an employer shall give all employees and job applicants for employment
a written policy statement which contains:
1. A general statement of the employer's policy on employee drug use, which must identify:
a. The types of drug testing an employee or job applicant may be required to submit to, including reasonable-suspicion
drug testing or drug testing conducted on any other basis.
b. The actions the employer may take against an employee or job applicant on the basis of a positive confirmed
drug test result.
2. A statement advising the employee or job applicant of the existence of this section.
3. A general statement concerning confidentiality.
4. Procedures for employees and job applicants to confidentially report to a medical review officer the use of
prescription or nonprescription medications to a medical review officer both before and after being tested.
5. A list of the most common medications, by brand name or common name, as applicable, as well as by chemical name,
which may alter or affect a drug test. A list of such medications as developed by the Agency for Health Care Administration
shall be available to employers through the department.
6. The consequences of refusing to submit to a drug test.
7. A representative sampling of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of employee assistance programs and local
drug rehabilitation programs.
8. A statement that an employee or job applicant who receives a positive confirmed test result may contest or explain
the result to the medical review officer within 5 working days after receiving written notification of the test
result; that if an employee's or job applicant's explanation or challenge is unsatisfactory to the medical review
officer, the medical review officer shall report a positive test result back to the employer; and that a person
may contest the drug test result pursuant to law or to rules adopted by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
9. A statement informing the employee or job applicant of his or her responsibility to notify the laboratory of
any administrative or civil action brought pursuant to this section.
10. A list of all drugs for which the employer will test, described by brand name or common name, as applicable,
as well as by chemical name.
11. A statement regarding any applicable collective bargaining agreement or contract and the right to appeal to
the Public Employees Relations Commission or applicable court.
12. A statement notifying employees and job applicants of their right to consult with a medical review officer
for technical information regarding prescription or nonprescription medication.
(b) An employer not having a drug-testing program shall ensure that at least 60 days elapse between a general
one-time notice to all employees that a drug-testing program is being implemented and the beginning of actual drug
testing. An employer having a drug-testing program in place prior to July 1, 1990, is not required to provide a
60-day notice period.
(c) An employer shall include notice of drug testing on vacancy announcements for positions for which drug testing
is required. A notice of the employer's drug-testing policy must also be posted in an appropriate and conspicuous
location on the employer's premises, and copies of the policy must be made available for inspection by the employees
or job applicants of the employer during regular business hours in the employer's personnel office or other suitable
locations.
(4) TYPES OF TESTING.
(a) An employer is required to conduct the following types of drug tests: 1. Job applicant drug testing. An
employer must require job applicants to submit to a drug test and may use a refusal to submit to a drug test or
a positive confirmed drug test as a basis for refusing to hire a job applicant. 2. Reasonable-suspicion drug testing.
An employer must require an employee to submit to reasonable-suspicion drug testing. 3. Routine fitness-for-duty
drug testing. An employer must require an employee to submit to a drug test if the test is conducted as part of
a routinely scheduled employee fitness-for-duty medical examination that is part of the employer's established
policy or that is scheduled routinely for all members of an employment classification or group. 4. Followup drug
testing. If the employee in the course of employment enters an employee assistance program for drug-related problems,
or a drug rehabilitation program, the employer must require the employee to submit to a drug test as a followup
to such program, unless the employee voluntarily entered the program. In those cases, the employer has the option
to not require followup testing. If followup testing is required, it must be conducted at least once a year for
a 2-year period after completion of the program. Advance notice of a followup testing date must not be given to
the employee to be tested.
(b) This subsection does not preclude a private employer from conducting random testing, or any other lawful testing,
of employees for drugs.
(c) Limited testing of applicants, only if it is based on a reasonable classification basis, is permissible in
accordance with law or with rules adopted by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
(5) PROCEDURES AND EMPLOYEE PROTECTION.
All specimen collection and testing for drugs under this section shall be performed in accordance with the following
procedures:
(a) A sample shall be collected with due regard to the privacy of the individual providing the sample, and in a
manner reasonably calculated to prevent substitution or contamination of the sample.
(b) Specimen collection must be documented, and the documentation procedures shall include:
1. Labeling of specimen containers so as to reasonably preclude the likelihood of erroneous identification of
test results.
2. A form for the employee or job applicant to provide any information he or she considers relevant to the test,
including identification of currently or recently used prescription or nonprescription medication or other relevant
medical information. The form must provide notice of the most common medications by brand name or common name,
as applicable, as well as by chemical name, which may alter or affect a drug test. The providing of information
shall not preclude the administration of the drug test, but shall be taken into account in interpreting any positive
confirmed test result.
(c) Specimen collection, storage, and transportation to the testing site shall be performed in a manner that
reasonably precludes contamination or adulteration of specimens.
(d) Each initial drug test and confirmation test conducted under this section, not including the taking or collecting
of a specimen to be tested, shall be conducted by a licensed or certified laboratory as described in subsection
(9).
(e) A specimen for a drug test may be taken or collected by any of the following persons: 1. A physician, a physician
assistant, a registered professional nurse, a licensed practical nurse, or a nurse practitioner or a certified
paramedic who is present at the scene of an accident for the purpose of rendering emergency medical service or
treatment. 2. A qualified person employed by a licensed or certified laboratory as described in subsection (9).
(f) A person who collects or takes a specimen for a drug test shall collect an amount sufficient for two drug tests
as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
(g) Every specimen that produces a positive, confirmed test result shall be preserved by the licensed or certified
laboratory that conducted the confirmation test for a period of at least 210 days after the result of the test
was mailed or otherwise delivered to the medical review officer. However, if an employee or job applicant undertakes
an administrative or legal challenge to the test result, the employee or job applicant shall notify the laboratory
and the sample shall be retained by the laboratory until the case or administrative appeal is settled. During the
180-day period after written notification of a positive test result, the employee or job applicant who has provided
the specimen shall be permitted by the employer to have a portion of the specimen retested, at the employee's or
job applicant's expense, at another laboratory, licensed and approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration,
chosen by the employee or job applicant. The second laboratory must test at equal or greater sensitivity for the
drug in question as the first laboratory. The first laboratory that performed the test for the employer is responsible
for the transfer of the portion of the specimen to be retested, and for the integrity of the chain of custody during
such transfer.
(h) Within 5 working days after receipt of a positive confirmed test result from the medical review officer, an
employer shall inform an employee or job applicant in writing of such positive test result, the consequences of
such results, and the options available to the employee or job applicant. The employer shall provide to the employee
or job applicant, upon request, a copy of the test results.
(i) Within 5 working days after receiving notice of a positive confirmed test result, an employee or job applicant
may submit information to the employer explaining or contesting the test result, and explaining why the result
does not constitute a violation of the employer's policy.
(j) The employee's or job applicant's explanation or challenge of the positive test result is unsatisfactory to
the employer, a written explanation as to why the employee's or job applicant's explanation is unsatisfactory,
along with the report of positive result, shall be provided by the employer to the employee or job applicant; and
all such documentation shall be kept confidential by the employer pursuant to subsection (8) and shall be retained
by the employer for at least 1 year.
(k) An employer may not discharge, discipline, refuse to hire, discriminate against, or request or require rehabilitation
of an employee or job applicant on the sole basis of a positive test result that has not been verified by a confirmation
test and by a medical review officer.
(l) An employer that performs drug testing or specimen collection shall use chain-of-custody procedures established
by the Agency for Health Care Administration to ensure proper recordkeeping, handling, labeling, and identification
of all specimens tested.
(m) An employer shall pay the cost of all drug tests, initial and confirmation, which the employer requires of
employees. An employee or job applicant shall pay the costs of any additional drug tests not required by the employer.
(n) An employer shall not discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee solely upon the employee's
voluntarily seeking treatment, while under the employ of the employer, for a drug-related problem if the employee
has not previously tested positive for drug use, entered an employee assistance program for drug-related problems,
or entered a drug rehabilitation program. Unless otherwise provided by a collective bargaining agreement, an employer
may select the employee assistance program or drug rehabilitation program if the employer pays the cost of the
employee's participation in the program.
(o) If drug testing is conducted based on reasonable suspicion, the employer shall promptly detail in writing the
circumstances which formed the basis of the determination that reasonable suspicion existed to warrant the testing.
A copy of this documentation shall be given to the employee upon request and the original documentation shall be
kept confidential by the employer pursuant to subsection (8) and shall be retained by the employer for at least
1 year.
(p) All authorized remedial treatment, care, and attendance provided by a health care provider to an injured employee
before medical and indemnity benefits are denied under this section must be paid for by the carrier or self-insurer.
However, the carrier or self-insurer must have given reasonable notice to all affected health care providers that
payment for treatment, care, and attendance provided to the employee after a future date certain will be denied.
A health care provider, as defined in s. 440.13(1)(i), that refuses, without good cause, to continue treatment,
care, and attendance before the provider receives notice of benefit denial commits a misdemeanor of the second
degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(6) CONFIRMATION TESTING.
(a) If an initial drug test is negative, the employer may in its sole discretion seek a confirmation test.
(b) Only licensed or certified laboratories as described in subsection (9) may conduct confirmation drug tests.
(c) All positive initial tests shall be confirmed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or an equivalent
or more accurate scientifically accepted method approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration or the United
States Food and Drug Administration as such technology becomes available in a cost-effective form.
(d) If an initial drug test of an employee or job applicant is confirmed as positive, the employer's medical review
officer shall provide technical assistance to the employer and to the employee or job applicant for the purpose
of interpreting the test result to determine whether the result could have been caused by prescription or nonprescription
medication taken by the employee or job applicant.
(7) EMPLOYER PROTECTION.
(a) An employee or job applicant whose drug test result is confirmed as positive in accordance with this section
shall not, by virtue of the result alone, be deemed to have a "handicap" or "disability" as
defined under federal, state, or local handicap and disability discrimination laws.
(b) An employer who discharges or disciplines an employee or refuses to hire a job applicant in compliance with
this section is considered to have discharged, disciplined, or refused to hire for cause.
(c) No physician-patient relationship is created between an employee or job applicant and an employer or any person
performing or evaluating a drug test, solely by the establishment, implementation, or administration of a drug-testing
program.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an employer from establishing reasonable work rules related
to employee possession, use, sale, or solicitation of drugs, including convictions for drug-related offenses, and
taking action based upon a violation of any of those rules.
(e) This section does not operate retroactively, and does not abrogate the right of an employer under state law
to conduct drug tests, or implement employee drug-testing programs; however, only those programs that meet the
criteria outlined in this section qualify for reduced rates under s. 627.0915.
(f) If an employee or job applicant refuses to submit to a drug test, the employer is not barred from discharging
or disciplining the employee or from refusing to hire the job applicant. However, this paragraph does not abrogate
the rights and remedies of the employee or job applicant as otherwise provided in this section.
(g) This section does not prohibit an employer from conducting medical screening or other tests required, permitted,
or not disallowed by any statute, rule, or regulation for the purpose of monitoring exposure of employees to toxic
or other unhealthy substances in the workplace or in the performance of job responsibilities. Such screening or
testing is limited to the specific substances expressly identified in the applicable statute, rule, or regulation,
unless prior written consent of the employee is obtained for other tests. Such screening or testing need not be
in compliance with the rules adopted by the Agency for Health Care Administration under this chapter or under s.
112.0455. A public employer may, through the use of an unbiased selection procedure, conduct random drug tests
of employees occupying mandatory-testing or special-risk positions if the testing is performed in accordance with
drug-testing rules adopted by the Agency for Health Care Administration and the department.
(h) No cause of action shall arise in favor of any person based upon the failure of an employer to establish a
program or policy for drug testing.
(8) CONFIDENTIALITY.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, all information, interviews, reports, statements, memoranda,
and drug test results, written or otherwise, received or produced as a result of a drug-testing program are confidential
and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, and may not be used
or received in evidence, obtained in discovery, or disclosed in any public or private proceedings, except in accordance
with this section or in determining compensability under this chapter.
(b) Employers, laboratories, medical review officers, employee assistance programs, drug rehabilitation programs,
and their agents may not release any information concerning drug test results obtained pursuant to this section
without a written consent form signed voluntarily by the person tested, unless such release is compelled by an
administrative law judge, a hearing officer, or a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to an appeal taken under
this section or is deemed appropriate by a professional or occupational licensing board in a related disciplinary
proceeding. The consent form must contain, at a minimum: 1. The name of the person who is authorized to obtain
the information. 2. The purpose of the disclosure. 3. The precise information to be disclosed. 4. The duration
of the consent. 5. The signature of the person authorizing release of the information.
(c) Information on drug test results shall not be used in any criminal proceeding against the employee or job applicant.
Information released contrary to this section is inadmissible as evidence in any such criminal proceeding.
(d) This subsection does not prohibit an employer, agent of an employer, or laboratory conducting a drug test from
having access to employee drug test information or using such information when consulting with legal counsel in
connection with actions brought under or related to this section or when the information is relevant to its defense
in a civil or administrative matter.
(9) DRUG-TESTING STANDARDS FOR LABORATORIES.
(a) A laboratory may analyze initial or confirmation test specimens only if: 1. The laboratory is licensed and
approved by the Agency for Health Care Administration using criteria established by the United States Department
of Health and Human Services as general guidelines for modeling the state drug-testing program pursuant to this
section or the laboratory is certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. 2. The laboratory
has written procedures to ensure the chain of custody. 3. The laboratory follows proper quality control procedures,
including, but not limited to: a. The use of internal quality controls, including the use of samples of known concentrations
which are used to check the performance and calibration of testing equipment, and periodic use of blind samples
for overall accuracy. b. An internal review and certification process for drug test results, conducted by a person
qualified to perform that function in the testing laboratory. c. Security measures implemented by the testing laboratory
to preclude adulteration of specimens and drug test results. d. Other necessary and proper actions taken to ensure
reliable and accurate drug test results.
(b) A laboratory shall disclose to the medical review officer a written positive confirmed test result report within
7 working days after receipt of the sample. All laboratory reports of a drug test result must, at a minimum, state:
1. The name and address of the laboratory that performed the test and the positive identification of the person
tested. 2. Positive results on confirmation tests only, or negative results, as applicable. 3. A list of the drugs
for which the drug analyses were conducted. 4. The type of tests conducted for both initial tests and confirmation
tests and the minimum cutoff levels of the tests. 5. Any correlation between medication reported by the employee
or job applicant pursuant to subparagraph (5)(b)2. and a positive confirmed drug test result. A report must not
disclose the presence or absence of any drug other than a specific drug and its metabolites listed pursuant to
this section.
(c) The laboratory shall submit to the Agency for Health Care Administration a monthly report with statistical
information regarding the testing of employees and job applicants. The report must include information on the methods
of analysis conducted, the drugs tested for, the number of positive and negative results for both initial tests
and confirmation tests, and any other information deemed appropriate by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
A monthly report must not identify specific employees or job applicants.
(10) RULES.
The Agency for Health Care Administration shall adopt rules pursuant to s. 112.0455 and criteria established by
the United States Department of Health and Human Services as general guidelines for modeling the state drug-testing
program, concerning, but not limited to:
(a) Standards for licensing drug-testing laboratories and suspension and revocation of such licenses.
(b) Urine, hair, blood, and other body specimens and minimum specimen amounts that are appropriate for drug testing.
(c) Methods of analysis and procedures to ensure reliable drug-testing results, including standards for initial
tests and confirmation tests.
(d) Minimum cutoff detection levels for each drug or metabolites of such drug for the purposes of determining a
positive test result.
(e) Chain-of-custody procedures to ensure proper identification, labeling, and handling of specimens tested.
(f) Retention, storage, and transportation procedures to ensure reliable results on confirmation tests and retests.
(11) PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN MANDATORY-TESTING OR SPECIAL-RISK POSITIONS.
(a) If an employee who is employed by a public employer in a mandatory-testing position enters an employee assistance
program or drug rehabilitation program, the employer must assign the employee to a position other than a mandatory-testing position or, if such position is not available, place the employee on leave while the employee is participating
in the program. However, the employee shall be permitted to use any accumulated annual leave credits before leave
may be ordered without pay.
(b) An employee who is employed by a public employer in a special-risk position may be discharged or disciplined
by a public employer for the first positive confirmed test result if the drug confirmed is an illicit drug under
s. 893.03. A special-risk employee who is participating in an employee assistance program or drug rehabilitation
program may not be allowed to continue to work in any special-risk or mandatory-testing position of the public employer,
but may be assigned to a position other than a mandatory testing position or placed on leave while the employee
is participating in the program. However, the employee shall be permitted to use any accumulated annual leave credits
before leave may be ordered without pay.
(12) DENIAL OF BENEFITS.
An employer shall deny an employee medical or indemnity benefits under this chapter, pursuant to this section.
(13) COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS.
(a) This section does not eliminate the bargainable rights as provided in the collective bargaining process
if applicable.
(b) Drug-free workplace program requirements pursuant to this section shall be a mandatory topic of negotiations
with any certified collective bargaining agent for nonfederal public sector employers that operate under a collective
bargaining agreement.
(14) APPLICABILITY.
A drug testing policy or procedure adopted by an employer pursuant to this chapter shall be applied equally
to all employee classifications where the employee is subject to workers' compensation coverage.
(15) STATE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS.
Each construction contractor regulated under part I of chapter 489, and each electrical contractor and alarm
system contractor regulated under part II of chapter 489, who contracts to perform construction work under a state
contract for educational facilities governed by chapter 235, for public property or publicly owned buildings governed
by chapter 255, or for state correctional facilities governed by chapter 944 shall implement a drug-free workplace
program under this section.
(Effective 07/01/2012)
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