The Department of General Services (DGS) requires all employees to comply with the State of California’s efforts to maintain a drug-free working environment. DGS has a vital interest in maintaining safe, healthful, and efficient working conditions.

An employee’s ability to perform duties safely and effectively can be impaired by use of illegal drugs, alcohol, legally prescribed medications or combined use of these substances.

Substance abuse poses serious safety and health risks not only to an employee but also to fellow workers and others with whom the employee has contact. Therefore, the DGS shall comply with the following:

State Program

The state program covers employees in classifications designated as "Sensitive" under Title 2 CCR 599.961. Employees under the state program can be tested under reasonable suspicion, but are not subject to random drug testing. Classifications are designated as sensitive when:

• Duties involve a greater-than-normal level of trust, responsibility for or impact on the health and safety of others.
• Errors in judgment, inattentiveness or diminished coordination, dexterity or composure while performing their duties could clearly result in a mistake that would endanger the health and safety of others.
• Employees in these positions work with such independence, or perform such tasks that it cannot be safely assumed that mistakes such as those described above could be prevented by a supervisor or another employee.

Federal Program

The Federal Department of Transportation issued regulations for drug and alcohol testing in the transportation industry. These Federal regulations affect state government employees who possess a commercial drivers’ license as part of their duties. Employees who possess a commercial drivers license are now subject to random drug testing in addition to being subject to testing under reasonable suspicion. Employees subject to these Federal guidelines may include those in the classifications of Truck Driver and will include Heavy Truck Driver.

Supervisor/Manager Training

The supervisors of employees impacted by the Federal and State Programs are required by law to attend a minimum of two hours training on "Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse." This training will help supervisors identify when an employee needs to be tested in accordance with drug program guidelines. It also assists supervisors in knowing how to articulate signs and symptoms to the Substance Abuse Professionals.

DGS managers and supervisors may contact the Labor Relations Office for additional information.

State departments contracting with Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc. (CDT) through CalHR, may utilize the following information for individuals requiring this training:

Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc. (CDT) provides online training for your supervisors. This training covers the requirements under CalHR Rules and DOT Regulations - 1 hour on alcohol and 1 hour on substance abuse. It can be done in one session or over several sessions.

CDT will secure a license for each employee and provide a logon and password. A certificate will print once training is completed. The cost of the training is $125 per person and will be billed on CDT's monthly invoice.

To enroll employees in training, send an email to Patti McKitterick (patti@cdtsolutions.com) and cc Justin Davis (Justin.Davis@calhr.ca.gov). Indicate the number of people to be trained. Patti will acquire the licenses for the training and send you the logons and passwords to distribute to your employees.

The license expires one year from the date CDT puts in the request. However, there will be instances where the employees will have less than one year to complete the training. Based on the date the employee first logs on, he or she will have until the end of the calendar year (12/31) or the end of one year to complete the training.

For example, Department A emails Patti on 9/1/12 for Employee 1 and Employee 2. Patti requests and receives 2 licenses on 9/1/12 (expiration 8/31/13) and emails Department A the logons and passwords.

• Employee 1 first logs on 9/5/12. Employee 1 has until 12/31/12 (end of the calendar year) to complete the training. If Employee 1 doesn't complete the training by 12/31/12, another license, logon, password and fee will be required.
• Employee 2 first logs on 1/2/13. Employee 2 has until 8/31/13 (12 months from issue date) to complete the training. If Employee 2 doesn't complete the training by 8/31/13, another license, logon, password, and fee will be required.

Please contact Justin Davis (Justin.Davis@calhr.ca.gov) with any questions regarding this training or process.

Substance Abuse Testing

The department has entered into an interagency agreement for the services of Substance Abuse Professionals in the areas of drug testing, evaluation, assessment services and counseling.

To navigate through the Substance Abuse Program Guidelines from beginning to end, start with "Responsibility". When you have finished reading the Responsibility content, move on to State Program. Progress through the State Program module before moving on to the Federal Program. Proceed in this manner until you have read all of the content in each module of each sub-section.