Pre-employment drug screening is critical in ensuring workplace safety, especially in high-risk industries such as transportation, construction, and healthcare. This screening often takes part during the background check process to help employers ensure they hire the right individuals who will comply with safety standards.

It is well-known that most drug tests focus on detecting illegal substances and prescription drugs, but what about alcohol? Our article will answer the question of whether alcohol shows up on a drug test for work. Continue reading to the end to learn everything about alcohol and drug tests for employment.

Is Alcohol Testing Included in Pre-Employment Drug Tests?

Alcohol is often excluded from pre-employment drug screenings. However, it isn’t because employers make a pass for alcohol since it is legal. Alcohol, unlike other substances, is metabolized quickly and less detectable.

For example, marijuana can be detected through urine tests for up to 90 days, whereas alcohol only remains detectable for up to 12 hours after consumption. The shorter detection window limits the practicability of alcohol screening for work and other drug tests.

Alcohol typically isn’t included in pre-employment drug tests, however, as these tests cannot tell reliably whether a candidate abuses alcohol or not. However, employers may use other tools, such as breathalyzers, to detect if a worker is under the influence of alcohol during work hours.

It is important to note that this type of alcohol screening is different from a pre-employment drug test, as it only applies to those who are already employed. Below, we’ll cover what employees and employers need to know about workplace alcohol tests.

Alcohol Testing at the Workplace

Alcohol testing at the workplace isn’t the same as pre-employment drug screening. As mentioned, pre-employment drug tests primarily look for illicit substances and prescription drugs to detect substance abuse.

Some industries, particularly the ones regulated by the federal government, such as transportation, mandate random alcohol testing at the workplace. It is a preventative measure to ensure workplace safety. If you’re seeking a job in these regulated industries, be prepared to undergo random alcohol testing throughout employment.

It isn’t only employers in regulated industries that require alcohol testing. Any employer can implement their own workplace policies that include alcohol testing. However, these policies must be applied uniformly to comply with legal standards. For instance, if an employer requires random alcohol testing, it must be enforced on all employees in the same job category or department.

Employers may also require specific employees to undergo alcohol screening, but it must be based on reasonable doubt. Examples of reasonable suspicion include the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, and lack of focus. Unless the employer has a justifiable reason, they can’t subject alcohol screening to target certain employees.

Lastly, employers don’t use a specific method or tool to conduct workplace alcohol screening. While breath alcohol tests are the most common, as they are non-invasive and provide quick results, employers may require blood, saliva, hair, or urine tests to conduct alcohol screening at the workplace.

Alcohol-Related Offenses and Background Checks

Although drug tests for work don’t specifically look for alcohol, drug screening is usually done as part of the background check. This process involves verifying the candidate’s identity and checking their criminal history.

If the candidate had any alcohol-related offenses in the past, such as a DUI or public intoxication, it may appear on their background check. The employer may take this as a red flag and disqualify the candidate.

Summarizing Drug Tests and Alcohol at the Workplace

Alcohol won’t show up on a drug test for work due to the transient nature of it. However, employers may determine if a candidate has substance abuse problems through their background check results.

If you’re concerned that alcohol use may affect the chances of getting a job, especially if you were involved in an alcohol-related crime in the past, run a background check on yourself. It will enable you to pinpoint exactly what might disqualify you from employment.

To run a quick, online background check on yourself, you can use a free people look up website like FreePeopleSearch. It details everything included in a standard background check, like employment history, criminal records, addresses, and other information obtained from public and private databases.

Knowing what will appear on your background check, you can prepare if the employer asks questions about something that was red-flagged on your results. Whether you’ve had alcohol-related charges or not, staying one step ahead is an excellent way to improve your chances of getting a job.