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Many employers use drug screens and/or criminal background checks during the hiring process. Testing negative for certain drugs and passing a criminal background check may be a requirement for employment.
Pre-employment
A drug screen is often a requirement for employment. Successfully testing negative or normal for the presence of illegal drugs is usually required.
Employment Application
A criminal background check is made based on information provided on an employment application. Complete and accurate information is needed on an application.
Drug Screen
The most widely used drug screen is a urine test. A urine sample will be collected and tested for the presence of illegal drugs. Some prescription drugs may be tested for.
Drug Screen Results
Sometimes drug screens result in false positives, in which case a potential employee can provide a medical background and ask to be re-tested.
Criminal Background Check
Employers use criminal background checks to verify that potential employees do not have a criminal history. A felony history is the most common search, but a search can be more detailed depending on the industry of the employer.
Criminal Background Check Databases
Criminal background checks rely on various search databases that can include state and county records, sex offender registries and the national FBI database.
Source:
U.S. Department of Labor: Workplace Drug Testing
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