When conducting my random selections, may I over select or use an alternate list, since my employees are not always available?
We realize that you may select more employees than necessary to prevent under-testing in the event that someone is excused. However, this practice may lead to a liberal excusal policy, which is not appropriate. Instead of using alternates, the best practice would be to recalculate the number of selections needed following each testing period to ensure that the minimum annual rate is met.
It is important for you to have a consistent policy in place that addresses this issue to ensure that each individual is treated fairly.
For more information regarding best practices for random testing, please visit the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Web site for a copy of the DOT publication "Best Practices for DOT Random Drug and Alcohol Testing".
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
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