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90 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, May 25, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Biz Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 18, 2005 Drug tests sought for new county employees By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Jackson County has proposed expanding its drug testing to cover all new hires in order to ensure continued federal funding. Not having a universal testing policy could endanger the county’s ability to receive future federal grants because it could be deemed out of compliance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, said Dave Kanner, deputy county administrator. He said testing of new employees also would help protect the county against liability. Jackson County probably is one of the few large employers in the area that doesn’t have drug testing for all new employees, said Kanner. The county previously required testing for employees in roads, parks and planning departments as well as those with commercial driving licenses. Temporary agencies also were required to perform testing on temporary workers. Advertisement County Administrator Sue Slack, who is still drafting the policy, said drug testing will not be required of county employees seeking promotions. At this point, she said, no new employee has been tested under the proposed policy. "I haven’t given the OK to test anybody," she said. Slack said she is still working out language in the policy and should have it ready for review by county commissioners in the near future. A typical test will cost the county $36.75, said Kanner. With a turnover rate of about 10 percent annually, the county could do drug testing on about 110 employees, costing about $4,000 annually. The county will use Valley Immediate Care to perform the drug tests. Brent Kell, administrator for Valley Immediate Care, said his company performs drug testing for 40 to 50 companies locally. Generally, the urinalysis checks for alcohol, opiates, methamphetamines, PCP and marijuana, although employers do request testing for other drugs. Those undergoing the drug testing are not observed, discreetly filling a bottle in the privacy of a bathroom, he said. "I don’t think it’s any real big deal," said Hank Collins, Jackson County’s health director. "The county is just catching up with the world at large." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Advertisement s