**Sandia Drug Testing Policy**

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**Updated July 30, 2008**

**Points of Contact: Debra Menke, <dmenke@sandia.gov>, (505) 844-4999**

**Renee Wood, <rvwood@sandia.gov> (505) 845-0612**

**Why has DOE expanded its drug testing policies?**

The Secretary of Energy issued a memorandum on Sept. 14, 2007
reaffirming DOE's commitment for a drug free workplace to ensure the
safety and security of our workers, our sites, and the surrounding
communities by directing applicant, random, and for-cause drug testing
drug testing for all DOE employees and contractors who require security
clearances. The memorandum expanded the definition of Testing Designated
Positions (TDPs) to include all workers holding a Q or L clearance.

**What is a Testing Designated Position?**

In the past, the TDP designation has applied to positions in which an
employee or contractor would, if impaired, pose a special risk to
others, to national security, or to the environment. Truck drivers
transporting hazardous cargo are an example. The DOE decision expands
the TDP designation to everyone holding a clearance, including
subcontractors, on the basis that all workers holding security
clearances have the potential to significantly affect the environment,
public health and safety, or national security.

**What regulations describe the new DOE requirements?**

Drug testing for contactor employees is governed by Title 10, Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 707, Workplace Substance Abuse Programs at DOE
Sites
(<http://www.bechteljacobs.com/info/supplier_forum_0705/wsap_doe.pdf>).
DOE's Office of Health, Safety, and Security and the Office of the
General Counsel are in the process of amending this regulation to
include the new random drug testing requirements for cleared workers. In
the interim, all Sandia clearance holders are considered to be in
Testing Designated Positions and will be subject to drug testing as
described for TDPs in 10 CFR 707 at the rates prescribed under the
current version of regulation -- 30 percent of the clearance-holding
population annually.

**When does the change take place?**

The new requirements will apply all cleared employees and contractors as
soon as DOE officially directs the Labs to implement the policy. Testing
will begin at Sandia in October 13, 2008.

**Who will this new policy apply to?**

The policy applies to all Q- and L-cleared Sandia employees and Q- and
L-cleared contractors. The effects of the new requirements will be
bargained with Sandia's bargaining units soon.

**What is "random drug testing"?**

A random test is the unscheduled, unannounced collection of urine
specimens from randomly selected employees. The random testing process
ensures that selections are not made in an arbitrary, capricious, or
discriminatory manner. Selection for a random drug test does not reduce
the chances that you will be selected again in any future random
selection for drug testing.

**What drugs are being tested for?**

Random testing will be performed to identify the use of the following
drugs or classes of drugs: marijuana, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine,
and amphetamines. (Note: The drug categories being screened include some
prescription medications; the illegal use of prescription medications
will result in a positive test determination.)

**In what circumstances can I be tested?**

Each year, 30 percent of all cleared Sandia employees or contractors
will be notified that they have been selected for a random drug test.
Being selected for a random drug test does not alter the chance that you
will be selected in any future random selection.

In addition, applicants for TDPs (including those that do not require
clearances) will be tested before final selection into the position or,
for current Sandia employees or contractors, before a security clearance
is granted, upgraded, or reinstated. For-cause testing may be conducted
immediately after a precipitating event, such as a workplace accident.

**How will I be notified for random testing?**

You will receive a verbal notification while on duty via telephone. Once
verbal notification is made, no excuses will be accepted for failure to
report to the collection site before close of the business day. For
Members of the Workforce that do not work at a Sandia Location where
there is a collection center, information on where to report will be
given at the time of notification. These individuals who do not work at
a Sandia location will have 24 hours to report to a collection facility
after notification.

**What qualifies as a verbal notification?**

Verbal notifications will be made to randomly selected cleared employees
and contractors during Sandia business hours. A selected person must
report to a designated collection site the day they are notified.

Verbal notification includes being spoken to in person over the phone.
Notifications will not be made by voicemail or email.

**What if I am out of the office due to required trainings, meetings,
business travel, vacation, or illness?**

If the call up administrator does not physically speak to the randomly
selected individual, the person's name would go back into the testing
pool for future selection.

**What if I am busy conducting an experiment and I answer the phone call
in which I am being asked to report for my random drug test?**

The DOE requires you to be available for random drug testing during all
hours of operation. DOE is especially interested in assuring worker
safety and reliability when critical mission related work is being
conducted. Thus, once you are verbally notified, no excuses will be
accepted for failure to report to the collection site within that day.

**How will the call up process work if there is an administrative
assistant that answers the phone for management at all levels or for
individuals that don\'t sit at desk to answer the phone during the
day?**

The drug testing program administrators at Sandia assure the Members of
the Workforce that there are procedures in place to deal with the
circumstances in which people have administrative assistants answering
the phones or don't sit at a desk during the day. These procedures
ensure that every person at Sandia who works in a Testing Designated
Position - and that includes all L and Q cleared employees and
contractors from the Labs Director on down - will be equally subject to
the random drug testing procedure.

**What if I am an off-site telecommuter?**

You will receive a verbal notification while on duty via telephone. Once
verbal notification is made, no excuses will be accepted for failure to
report to the collection site before close of the business day. For
Members of the Workforce that do not work at a Sandia Location where
there is a collection center, information on where to report will be
given at the time of notification. These individuals who do not work at
a Sandia location will have 24 hours to report to a collection facility
after notification.

As far as reporting to a collection facility, SNL has a contract with
Quest Diagnostics and have collection sites all over the country. When
the out of town clearance holder is notified, the administrative staff
pulls up a website that we simply type in the zip code and indicate
where the person can report. For example for individuals in Summerland,
Nevada:

Quest Diagnostics - Henderson - East PSC
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}2 Miles
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}210 N Boulder Hwy Ste 140
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}Henderson
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}NV
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}89015

Quest Diagnostics - Legacy
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}6 Miles
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}1701 N Green Valley Pkwy Ste 7d
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}Henderson
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}NV
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}89074

Quest Diagnostics - Eastern Marketplace
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}7 Miles
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}10120 S Eastern Ave Ste 130
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}Henderson
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}NV
![](media/image1.wmf){width="1.0416666666666666e-2in"
height="1.0416666666666666e-2in"}89052

The off-site Members of the Workforce have 24 hours to report since they
don't have a collection center onsite.

**What if I am telecommuting and live in an area where there is an
on-site collection facility?**

If you are telecommuting and you are verbally notified, no excuses will
be accepted for failure to report to the collection site.

**Where will the urine drug collection be performed?**

The collection locations for Sandia/New Mexico will be in Research Park
in the Sandia Synergy Center. The medical clinic will serve as the
collection center in Sandia/California. For people at sites without
dedicated collection centers, such as Carlsbad, Kauai, and other
locations, SNL has a contract with Quest Diagnostics and have collection
sites all over the country. Each will have all personnel, materials,
equipment, facilities, and supervision necessary for the collection in
private and ensure the secure temporary storage and transportation of
urine specimens to a drug testing laboratory in accordance with
established government regulations.

**Who will review the random drug test results?**

A Medical Review Officer (MRO), in compliance with the guidelines for
Federal drug testing programs regulated by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, receives and reviews drug test results for the
purpose of determining use of illegal drugs. The MRO assures that an
individual who has tested positive has been afforded an opportunity to
justify the test result; issues appropriate notices of determination
based on drug test results consistent with confidentiality requirements;
and reports summaries of all activities and findings to the appropriate
organizations.

**Who are the Medical Review Officers?**

Medical Review Officers are certified physicians with special training
to evaluate biological specimens submitted for drug and alcohol testing.
The certification held by an MRO is issued by the American Association
of Medical Review Officers (AAMRO).

**What are the consequences of a positive test result or refusal to
test?**

The immediate consequences of a confirmed, positive drug test include
the worker's badge being confiscated and the person being removed from
his or her TDP duties. Other disciplinary actions would follow; they can
include termination. Contractors will be removed from the performance of
the Sandia contract. Failure to report to an approved clinic within the
day of notification, or refusal to provide a specimen, will result in
measures equal to those for a positive drug test.

**Is there the possibility of a false positive?**

The urine screen and verification process is very accurate. If the
individual's specimen shows the presence of drugs, the clinical lab must
then confirm their presence with a more precise test. This confirmatory
test is a second analytical procedure to identify the presence of a
specific drug or metabolite, which is independent of the initial test
and is based on a different technique or analytical principle from the
initial test. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is the only
authorized confirmation method. Finally, the results are reviewed by the
MRO who verifies the results as either positive or negative.

The service Sandia uses, Quest Diagnostics, has labs accredited by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the College of
American Pathologists (CAP), Forensic Urine Drug Testing, among others.
All of its laboratories use rigorous proficiency testing with blinded
specimens. Labs accredited by SAMHSA lose their accreditation if they do
not meet the standards, and they are tested regularly. A certified
scientist there says in 16 years of testing he is not aware of a single
false positive.

**What if I am taking prescribed medications and I get selected for
random testing?**

If you are taking prescription medications and you are notified of your
selection for a random drug test, you must report to the collection site
and complete the collection process at required. At the end of the
collection process, on your copy of the drug testing custody and control
form, you may record any medications or over-the-counter products you
are taking. In the event that a positive laboratory result is received
by the Medical Review Officer (MRO), you will have an opportunity to
provide this information to the MRO prior to your result being verified.
The certified testing laboratories are not allowed to receive
information about your medications.

**Will using someone else's prescriptions drugs result in a positive
test result?**

You may legally use medications prescribed for you only. It is illegal
to use another persons' prescription medications and would result in a
positive test.

**Can eating foods with poppy seeds cause a positive drug test?**

Poppy seeds contain trace amounts of morphine and codeine. The ingestion
of poppy seeds may cause a drug test to indicate the presence of
opiates. To distinguish between casual poppy seed ingestion and abuse of
opiates, the cut-off level for a positive drug test is set at a
sufficient level to eliminate most initial positives due to poppy seed
ingestion. If the screening test does indicate the potential for a
positive test result, a confirmatory test will be performed that will
rule out normal poppy seed ingestion.

**Who will have access to my test results?**

Your results are confidential and are not disclosed to outside parties
without your written consent.

**What rights do I have if I test positive?**

Due-process procedures for contractor employees can be found in
10CFR707.14
(<http://www.bechteljacobs.com/info/supplier_forum_0705/wsap_doe.pdf>).

**What is a Split Sample?**

In the split sample method the urine specimen is divided into two
containers. The purpose of the split sample is to allow the employee the
opportunity to have the specimen retested at a different certified
laboratory.

Per 10 CFR 707 Section 707.14 Action pursuant to a determination of
illegal drug use. An individual who has been notified of a positive test
result may request a retest of the same sample at the same or another
certified laboratory. The individual shall bear the costs of
transportation and/or testing of the specimen. Sandia Labs will inform
employees of their right to request a retest under the provisions of
this paragraph.

**What if I am already subject to random testing in another testing
designated or safety sensitive position at SNL?**

All Q- and L-cleared Sandia employees and contractors will be randomly
selected at a minimum 30 percent annual rate. If you are already subject
to random drug testing as a member one of the following
testing-designated or safety-sensitive programs, you will be
automatically excluded from the population to which the new policy
applies:

-   Human Reliability Program (HRP), tested at 100 percent annual rate

-   Crane and Hoist, tested at 100 percent annual rate

-   Commercial Driver License (CDL), tested at 50 percent annual rate

    **What if I have difficulty providing a urine specimen?**

-   After your first unsuccessful attempt to provide an acceptable
    specimen, you have up to three hours to produce a single specimen of
    sufficient volume (you can't combine specimens). You can consume up
    to 40 ounces of fluid.

-   If you do not provide a specimen within those three hours, you must
    undergo a medical evaluation to determine if there was a medical
    reason for your inability to do so. If a physician determines that
    there was no medical reason for your failure to provide a urine
    specimen, your test will be considered a refusal.

-   Hours-of-service limitations generally apply to random collections
    except when the collector determines a direct observation collection
    is required due to specimen temperature being out of range or has
    been adulterated.

    **What is considered a refusal to test?**

If you refuse to test, the refusal will be reported and treated as a
positive test. The following conduct results in a refusal:

-   Failing to appear for any drug test after notification.

-   Failure to remain at the testing site until the testing process is
    complete.

-   Failure to provide a urine sample for any test required.

-   Failure to permit the observation or monitoring of you providing a
    urine sample (Tests conducted under direct observation or monitoring
    occur in limited situations. The majority of specimens are provided
    in private).

-   Failure to provide a specimen of sufficient volume when directed
    (and it has been determined, through a required medical evaluation,
    that there was not an adequate medical explanation for the failure
    to do so).

-   Failure to take a second test when directed to do so.

-   Failure to cooperate with any part of the testing process.

-   Failure to undergo a medical evaluation as part of "shy bladder" or
    "shy lung" procedures.

-   Providing a specimen that is verified as adulterated or substituted.

**What happens if it is determined that I have used illegal drugs within
the twelve months preceding my completion of a Questionnaire for
National Security Positions (SF-86)?**

All applicants for testing-designated positions (including members of
the workforce applying for a security clearance) who have been
determined to have used illegal drugs within the twelve months preceding
their completion of a Questionnaire for National Security Positions
(SF-86) will be disqualified from further consideration for a security
clearance until such time as they can demonstrate non-use of illegal
drugs for twelve consecutive months.

**What should I do if I believe I have an alcohol or substance abuse
problem?**

Seek help. By abusing drugs or alcohol, you risk the safety and health
of you, your co-workers, members of your family, and members of the
public. For specific benefits under your health plan, refer to your
Summary Plan Description available at
<http://www.sandia.gov/resources/emp-ret/spd/index.html> .

To find a treatment facility close to you, check with your local yellow
pages or local health department or visit the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services treatment facility locator at
[http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov](http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/).
This site provides contact information for substance abuse treatment
programs by state, city, and U.S. territory.

**How can I learn more about the effects of illegal drug use?**

-   Workplace drug testing \-- Substance Abuse and Mental Health
    Administration:
    [www.workplace.samhsa.gov](http://www.workplace.samhsa.gov/)

-   Commonly abused drugs \-- National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA):
    [www.nida.nih.gov](http://www.nida.nih.gov/)

-   Drug Facts \-- Office of National Drug Policy Control (ONDCP):
    [www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov](http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/)

-   Prevention tools \-- National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug
    Information (NCADI): [www.health.org](http://www.health.org/)