Employers and Dot SAP Guidelines

DOT SAP guidelines apply to all employers who employ safety-sensitive employees. In fact, per the Department of Transportation’s Regulation 49 CFR Part 40 Subpart O, “As an employer, you must provide to each employee (including an applicant or new employee) who violates a DOT drug and alcohol regulation a listing of SAPs readily available to the employee and acceptable to you, with names, addresses and telephone numbers. You cannot charge the employee any fee for compiling or providing this list. You may provide this list yourself or through a C/TPA or other service agent.”

Substance Abuse in the Workplace and Following DOT SAP Guidelines

In the workplace, the problems of substance abusers become a threat to safety and productivity. They increase risks of accidents, lower production, raise insurance costs and reduce profits. More than 70 percent of substance abusers hold jobs; one worker in four, ages 18 to 34, used drugs in the past year and one worker in three knows of drug sales in the workplace. When your employees fail drug tests it is your job to refer them to a SAP provider. Following the SAP guidelines is mandatory, not just a favor to your employee. Companies that employ safety-sensitive employees and are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) must have a substance abuse policy that provides SAP (Substance Abuse Professional) or SAE (Substance Abuse Expert) referrals.

DOT SAP Guidelines and Productivity

If you have an employee that fails a drug test you want to ensure they get back to work fast. Less employees means less productivity for your business. How can you follow the DOT SAP guidelines so that your employee can be cleared to return? The use of SAP Referral Services (SRS) will give you the peace of mind that your employees are in good hands. From ensuring that the SAP your employee sees has the correct credentials to treating your employees with compassion, SRS walks you and your employee through the DOT SAP guidelines.

Unsure if SRS is for you? Aside from making sure that you will follow DOT SAP guidelines, SRS works with a diversity of businesses, from small, privately owned to Fortune 500 companies and has the program capabilities to create a process that will support your employees’ personal needs for guidance while receiving the clinical care necessary for maintaining abstinence.

How Does SRS Benefit Your Employee?

Going through a list of SAP providers takes time, and when your employee is in the throes of an addiction it is unlikely they will have the patience to find a SAP provider that meets the credentialing requirements, has an appointment available, and is in their geographic region. Setting your employee up with SRS is a benefit to you both.

  • DOT, NRC and Non-Regulated/Company compliant substance abuse evaluations — SRS affiliate psychologists meet all clinical licensing requirements, perform face to face evaluations and can complete all state DWI/DUI required documentation.
  • Psychological Evaluations are performed by SRS’ affiliate psychologists who are state licensed and have clinical experience in assessing and diagnosing problems that do not have a physical origin. These problems can exist in several realms; for example, inappropriate behavior, inappropriate mood states and failure to perform up to expected standards, as in work performance.
  • Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPS) Substance Abuse Experts (SAEs) and specialists perform face to face evaluations within your employees’ geographic area.
  • DWI/DUI Compliant Substance Abuse Evaluations — SRS’ affiliate substance abuse specialists.
  • Fitness-For-Duty Evaluations are performed by affiliate Occupational Medicine Physicians who have knowledge of work environments, give impartial opinions about fitness-for-duty or return-to work capabilities and are able to make specific recommendations for job accommodations.
  • Compliance Reporting — SRS’ affiliate Substance Abuse Professional (SAPs) and Substance Abuse Experts (SAEs) monitor and report on all compliance issues as required by the DOT and NRC guidelines.
  • Documentation— SRS maintains a secure centralized filing system of all client case records for five (5) years as well as provider credentials as required by the DOT, NRC and State guidelines.
  • Follow-up Testing Recommendations— SRS’ affiliate Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs) and Substance Abuse Experts (SAEs) make recommendations for follow-up testing according to the requirements of the DOT and NRC.

If your employee fails a drug test make sure to follow DOT, NRC or Company guidelines the with ease and partner with SRS. Get your employees back to work fast and continue your productivity. For more information on how SRS can help your business, get in touch today!