Please note: We also offer Supervisor Training newsletters, as well as a Spanish version of our employee newsletters. These monthly newsletters are the most cost-effective way to meet your drug free workplace training requirements. In-person presentations and videotape training require employees to stop work in order to attend training, which results in loss of payroll and loss of productivity. Monthly newsletters solve this problem and save your company thousands of training dollars.

Step 1: SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY (approx. time required: 10 minutes)

Your company must have a substance abuse policy in place that meets all state of Georgia requirements.

At no charge to you, as our member, we email you the state recommended ‘fill-in-the-blank’ policy in English and Spanish. Simply print the policy on company letterhead and hand it out to all employees. If you have any legal questions regarding the substance abuse policy, we have a labor law attorney on retainer who will answer your questions at no charge. Sample letters and forms are included in the policy and should also be printed on company letterhead.

Step 2: TWO HOURS OF SUPERVISOR TRAINING (required by Georgia Law)

You must conduct the first hour of supervisor training prior to applying for your state certificate. The first hour of supervisor training should include a discussion of how to enforce your company's substance abuse policy, along with viewing one of our supervisor training videos or DVDs. We will assist you in selecting an appropriate video or DVD for supervisor training.

The second hour of supervisor training must be conducted within 6 months and may be completed by selecting another video/DVD from our video library list, or by subscribing to our Supervisor Training Newsletters. Download a sample supervisor newsletter.

• After your first year of certification your supervisor training requirement is reduced to a minimum of one hour.
• The supervisor newsletters are the most cost-effective and efficient way to meet this annual training requirement.

Step 3: TWO HOURS OF EMPLOYEE EDUCATION (required by Georgia Law)

You must conduct two hours of employee education in the first year of certification. Our monthly Employee Education Newsletter, the official newsletter of Georgia’s Drug-Free Workplace program, is the most cost-effective means of meeting this annual training requirement and is included in your membership fee. You will receive the Employee Education Newsletters on a monthly basis via email and by distributing the newsletter to your employees once a month you will have met the two-hour employee education requirement for the first year, and each year thereafter. One way to ensure your employees receive their newsletter each month is to attach them to your employee’s paychecks. However, how you choose to distribute them is up to you.

Remember, drug education is appropriate and critically important to an employer’s overall efforts to prevent drug abuse in the workplace and protect workers. Drug education received at work can be taken home and shared with the employee’s children to help keep them drug and alcohol free. Download a sample Employee Education newsletter (also available in Spanish).

• After the first year of certification you are required to conduct one hour of employee education annually. The newsletters are the most cost-effective and efficient way to continue meeting this annual training requirement.

Step 4: TYPES OF TESTING MANDATED BY LAW (You do not have to drug test your entire workforce and you do not have to random test).

You must conduct pre-employment, reasonable suspicion (for cause) post-rehab and post-accident drug testing.

• Random and blanket testing (of all employees) are not required, but are permitted and recommended. We offer member discounted pricing on Varian Onsite Testing Products. This is an excellent way to save time and money! It is extremely easy to become a Certified Onsite Collector at NO additional cost.

Take the guesswork out of safeguarding your world. Trust On-Site® and OnTrak™, Varian, Inc.'s convenient, cost-conscious drug screens, to deliver rapid, reliable results when and where you need them most. The patented design and careful manufacturing free you from strict test timing and false positives. The urine tests are available in many multiple screen combinations.

Please call our VP of Drug Free Workplace, Leanne Mulherin at (404) 223-2482 for more information.

Step 5: EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP) OR RESOURCE FILE (required by Georgia Law)

Certified drug free workplaces must provide either an EAP (Employee Assistance Program), or a resource list of treatment and counseling centers in their area.

• As a part of our Drug Free Workplace Membership Program, we have an online Employee Assistance Program available. This service allows our member companies and their employees to seek help on the Internet regarding a variety of topics including substance abuse, gambling, financial concerns, care for the elderly, domestic violence and many other subjects that affect productivity in the workplace.

Also included in your membership package you will find a CD/ROM containing a database of all treatment and counseling centers in Georgia. Select your county name from the drop-down menu to access the list for your area. This list should be printed out and posted in an appropriate and conspicuous location.

After completing the aforementioned 5 steps required for certification, we will assist you in applying or reapplying for certification online.

THE COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, ALONG WITH THE DRUGS DON’T WORK IN GEORGIA PROGRAM, ARE DEDICATED TO EDUCATING EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE ABOUT:

(1) the dangers of substance abuse, especially the abuse of illicit drugs;

(2) the impact of such abuse on the workplace;

(3) the most appropriate, effective and legally accepted means for employers to address their substance abuse in the workplace problems;

(4) the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees;

(5) the status of legislative, regulatory and legal developments at the state level, and;

(6) the very legitimate and necessary - role of employers in our national effort to combat drug abuse.

The Council on Alcohol and Drugs recognizes the threat of drug abuse in the workplace. Among other consequences, drug and alcohol abuse decreases productivity and increases accidents, absenteeism, product defects, medical and insurance costs, and employee theft. Employers and employees have a large stake and legitimate role to play in the "war on drugs."

Click on the Join Now button below to become a member of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs' Drug Free Workplace Program and to qualify for the state mandated 7.5% discount on your workers' compensation premiums or download form to apply by fax or mail. Your membership helps our 40-year-old nonprofit agency to prevent drug abuse among children.