Title 331, Chapter 557, Part II
31-51t. Drug testing: Definitions.
For the purposes of sections 31-51t to 31- 51aa, inclusive:
(1) "Employee" means any individual currently employed or formerly employed and currently being
rehired by the same employer within twelve months of terminating his employment, and includes any individual in
a managerial position;
(2) "Employer" means any individual, corporation, partnership or unincorporated association, excluding
the state or any political subdivision thereof;
(3) "Prospective employee" means any individual applying for employment with an employer, other
than an individual who terminated his employment with such employer within twelve months prior to such application.
31-51u. Drug testing: Requirements.
(a) No employer may determine an employee's eligibility for promotion, additional compensation, transfer, termination,
disciplinary or other adverse personnel action solely on the basis of a positive urinalysis drug test result unless
(1) the employer has given the employee a urinalysis drug test, utilizing a reliable methodology, which produced
a positive result and
(2) such positive test result was confirmed by a second urinalysis drug test, which was separate and independent
from the initial test, utilizing a gas chromatography and mass spectrometry methodology or a methodology which
has been determined by the Commissioner of Public Health to be as reliable or more reliable than the gas chromatography
and mass spectrometry methodology.
(b) No person performing a urinalysis drug test pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall report, transmit
or disclose any positive test result of any test performed in accordance with subdivision (1) of subsection (a)
of this section unless such test result has been confirmed in accordance with subdivision (2) of said subsection
(a).
31-51v. Drug testing: Prospective employees.
No employer may require a prospective employee to submit to a urinalysis drug test as part of the application
procedure for employment with such employer unless
(1) the prospective employee is informed in writing at the time of application of the employer's intent to conduct
such a drug test,
(2) such test is conducted in accordance with the requirements of subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of
section 31-51u and
(3) the prospective employee is given a copy of any positive urinalysis drug test result. The results of any such
test shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed by the employer or its employees to any person other than
any such employee to whom such disclosure is necessary.
31-51w. Drug testing: Observation prohibited.
Privacy of results.
(a) No employer or employer representative, agent or designee engaged in a urinalysis drug testing program shall
directly observe an employee or prospective employee in the process of producing the urine specimen.
(b) Any results of urinalysis drug tests conducted by or on behalf of an employer shall be maintained along with
other employee medical records and shall be subject to the privacy protections provided for in sections 31-128a
to 31-128h, inclusive. Such results shall be inadmissible in any criminal proceeding.
31-51x. Drug testing: Reasonable suspicion required. Random tests.
(a) No employer may require an employee to submit
to a urinalysis drug test unless the employer has reasonable suspicion
that the employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol which
adversely affects or could adversely affect such employee's job
performance. The Labor Commissioner shall adopt regulations in
accordance with chapter 54 to specify circumstances which shall be
presumed to give rise to an employer having such a reasonable
suspicion, provided nothing in such regulations shall preclude an
employer from citing other circumstances as giving rise to such a
reasonable suspicion.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of
this section, an employer may require an employee to submit to a
urinalysis drug test on a random basis if
(1) such test is authorized under federal law,
(2) the employee serves in an occupation which has been designated as a
high-risk or safety-sensitive occupation pursuant to regulations
adopted by the Labor Commissioner pursuant to chapter 54, or is
employed to operate a school bus, as defined in section 14-275, as
amended by this act, or a student transportation vehicle, as defined in
section 14-212, or
(3) the urinalysis is conducted as part of an employee
assistance program sponsored or authorized by the employer in which the
employee voluntarily participates. in which the employee voluntarily
participates.
31-51y. Drug testing: Medical screenings, regulation of employees and testing of gaming participants permitted.
(a) Nothing in sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, shall prevent an employer from conducting medical screenings,
with the express written consent of the employees, to monitor exposure to toxic or other unhealthy substances in
the workplace or in the performance of their job responsibilities. Any such screenings or tests shall be limited
to the specific substances expressly identified in the employee consent form.
(b) Nothing in sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, shall restrict an employer's ability to prohibit the use
of intoxicating substances during work hours or restrict an employer's ability to discipline an employee for being
under the influence of intoxicating substances during work hours.
(c) Nothing in sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, shall restrict or prevent a urinalysis drug test program
conducted under the supervision of the Division of Special Revenue within the Department of Revenue Services relative
to jai alai players, jai alai court judges, jockeys, harness drivers or stewards participating in activities upon
which pari- mutuel wagering is authorized under chapter 226.
31-51z. Drug testing: Enforcement. Damages.
(a) Any aggrieved person may enforce the provisions of sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, by means of a
civil action. Any employer, laboratory or medical facility that violates any provision of sections 31-51t to 31-51aa,
inclusive, or who aids in the violation of any provision of said sections shall be liable to the person aggrieved
for special and general damages, together with attorney's fees and costs.
(b) Any employer, laboratory or medical facility that commits, or proposes to commit, an act in violation of any
provision of sections 31-51t to 31-51aa, inclusive, may be enjoined therefrom by any court of competent jurisdiction.
An action for injunctive relief under this subsection may be brought by any aggrieved person, by the Attorney General
or by any person or entity which will fairly and adequately represent the interests of the protected class.
31-51aa. Drug testing: Effect of collective bargaining agreement.
No provision of any collective bargaining agreement may contravene or supersede any provision of sections 31-51t
to 31-51aa, inclusive, so as to infringe the privacy rights of any employee.
31-51bb. Right of employee to pursue cause of action.
No employee shall be denied the right to pursue, in a court of competent jurisdiction, a cause of action arising
under the state or federal constitution or under a state statute solely because the employee is covered by a collective
bargaining agreement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to give an employee the right to pursue a cause
of action in a court of competent jurisdiction for breach of any provision of a collective bargaining agreement
or other claims dependent upon the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement.