Drug Testing Procedures Stay Status Quo, For Now

What happened: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) May 11 announced it will temporarily delay oral fluid testing requirements for safety-sensitive employees, such as Commercial Driver License (CDL) holders who operate heavy machinery and large trucks. It will instead allow employers to continue using directly observed urine testing.

Why it’s happening: The oral fluid testing requirement was created in 2023 to make testing more accurate and less susceptible to tampering. However, because there are no federally certified oral fluid testing laboratories operating available, compliance is not possible.

Bottom line: For employers with workers subject to U.S. DOT drug and alcohol testing, the revision preserves the status quo, for now.

What’s next: Once at least two federally certified laboratories become available, employers will have an 18-month transition period to implement oral fluid testing requirements. The agency will publish a notice when laboratories become available, and the employer transition period begins and ends.