Were You Referred to a DOT Qualified SAP Professional?
“The United States Congress recognized the need for a drug and alcohol free transportation industry, and in 1991 passed the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act, requiring DOT Agencies to implement drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive transportation employees.” If you fail a drug and/or alcohol test you’ll either be given a SAP list or a referral to a service agent, such as SAP Referral Services (SRS), where you will be connected to a DOT qualified SAP in your area.
Safety-Sensitive Employees and Drug and Alcohol Testing
Because their work puts themselves, their colleagues, and the general public at risk, safety-sensitive employees are subject to drug and/or alcohol testing in certain situations:
- Before hiring
- Whenever there is a reasonable cause for suspicion that the employee is using drugs or alcohol
- Immediately after certain accidents
- Before returning to duty after a testing violation
- At random
If a DOT-regulated safety-sensitive employee fails a drug and/or alcohol test, or refuses to be tested, they will be immediately removed from their safety-sensitive duties and must complete the return to duty process with a SAP. The SAP will evaluate the employee’s condition, make treatment and/or educational recommendations, re-evaluate after the recommended program has been complied with, and refer the employee to a return to duty submit to a drug and/or alcohol test.
Finding a DOT Qualified SAP Professional
An employee can try to find a SAP by themselves, but this can be tricky and time consuming. Employees will have to call several SAPs to see if they have availability, wait for returned calls, and do some leg-work to ensure the SAP has current qualifications. It’s much faster and easier to connect with a service agent, like SAP Referral Services (SRS), to find a SAP near you.
Contact SRS Today
If you are a safety-sensitive employee who needs to complete the DOT’s return-to-duty process, contact us at SAP Referral Services today. We will quickly identify a DOT qualified SAP professional near you and schedule an evaluation so you can get back to work as quickly as possible.