Over the years, employers have been conducting pre-employment drug tests as part of their company hiring procedures. More and more companies are seeing the need and importance for this measure. A statistics made by the U.S. Department of Commerce indicate that 30% of business establishments fail because of poor hiring practices. Losses associated with poor hires, drug abuse, absenteeism rates and theft amount to billions of dollars each year. Lawsuits relating to negligent hiring are also one of the growing concerns of companies at present. A top business publication reports that 34% of job applications contain illegitimate and false information about experience, education and ability to perform job functions. Government studies show that a ratio of 1 out of 6 employees has a drug problem often resulting to huge company expenses, medical costs and less productivity. Many companies fall victim to these situations.
In Boston, a study done in 1990 revealed an alarming number of newly-hired post office workers who tested positive for cocaine and marijuana, which resulted in several workplace injury and accidents. An incident in 2007 involving two firemen who were killed when one of them tested positive of cocaine in his system and the other fireman was intoxicated with alcohol, became a wake up call for the local government to consider random drug testing in government employees. While there are pre-employment drug screening procedures being conducted, there are no regular testing done after hiring these employees.
The importance of pre-employment and random drug testing can never be overemphasized. Employees who have a drug problem not only pose danger to themselves but also to their co-workers and the company’s clients, especially if their job requires them to handle equipment or machinery, aside from the fact that drugs can cloud their judgment and lessen their ability to make decisions.
Drug testing need not be time-consuming and expensive for companies. Nowadays, drug testing kits like the ones available from Testcountry can provide fast and accurate results. Testcountry drug-testing kits are also safe and approved by government standards. Self-testing can also save time and resources. Instead of having employees go to laboratory centers to get tested, urine and hair samples can be sent to collection a center which is easier and gives the same accuracy.
Some of the drug testing centers located in Boston includes:
• Boston Paternity
Parentage Testing for Immigration, Paternity Testing
15 Court Sq, Boston, MA 02108
Phone: (617) 722-0104
Website: www.bostonpaternity.com
• Compliance Network Of New England
Mobile Drug & Alcohol Testing
15 Court, Boston, MA 02108
Phone:(617) 722-9388
(800) 211-4469 (toll-free)
Email: info@cnne.us
Website: www.compliance-network.com
• Antox Corporation
650 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02215
Phone: (617) 424-9666
• Confidential Drug Testing
581 Boylston-Suite 403, Boston MA 02116
Phone: (617)247-9114



