§ 22A-1A-1 — Substance abuse screening; minimum requirements; standards and procedures for screening

(a) Every employer of certified persons, as defined in §22A-1-2 of this code, shall implement a substance abuse screening policy and program that shall, at a minimum, include:

(1) A preemployment, 10-panel urine test for the following and any other substances as set out in rules adopted by the Office of Miners" Health, Safety, and Training:

(A) Amphetamines;

(B) Cannabinoids/THC;

(C) Cocaine;

(D) Opiates;

(E) Phencyclidine (PCP);

(F) Benzodiazepines;

(G) Propoxyphene;

(H) Methadone;

(I) Barbiturates; and

(J) Synthetic narcotics.

Split samples shall be collected by providers who are certified as complying with standards and procedures set out in the United States Department of Transportation’s rule, 49 C. F. R. Part 40, which may be amended, from time to time, by legislative rule of the Office of Miners" Health, Safety, and Training. Collected samples shall be tested by laboratories certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for collection and testing. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, the mine operator may implement a more stringent substance abuse screening policy and program;

(2) A random substance abuse testing program covering the substances referenced in subdivision (1) of this subsection. "Random testing" means that each person subject to testing has a statistically equal chance of being selected for testing at random and at unscheduled times. The selection of persons for random testing shall be made by a scientifically valid method, such as a random number table or a computer-based random number generator that is matched with the persons" Social Security numbers, payroll identification numbers, or other comparable identifying numbers; and

(3) Review of the substance abuse screening program with all persons required to be tested at the time of employment, upon a change in the program and annually thereafter.

(b) For purposes of this subsection, preemployment testing shall be required upon hiring by a new employer, rehiring by a former employer following a termination of the employer/employee relationship or transferring to a West Virginia mine from an employer’s out-of-state mine to the extent that any substance abuse test required by the employer in the other jurisdiction does not comply with the minimum standards for substance abuse testing required by this article. Furthermore, the provisions of this section apply to all employers that employ certified persons who work in mines, regardless of whether that employer is an operator, contractor, subcontractor or otherwise.

(c) Any employee involved in an accident that results in physical injuries or damage to equipment or property may be subject to a drug test by his or her employer.

(d) (1) Every employer shall notify the director, on a form prescribed by the director, within seven days of any of the following:

(A) Any positive drug or alcohol test of a certified person. However, for purposes of determining whether a drug test is positive the certified employee may not rely on a prescription dated more than one year prior to the date of the drug test result;

(B) The refusal of a certified person to submit a sample;

(C) A certified person possessing a substituted sample or an adulterated sample; or

(D) A certified person submitting a substituted sample or an adulterated sample.

(2) With respect to any certified person subject to a collective bargaining agreement, the employer shall notify the director, on a form prescribed by the director, within seven days of any of the following:

(A) Any positive drug or alcohol test of a certified person. However, for purposes of determining whether a drug test is positive the certified employee may not rely on a prescription dated more than one year prior to the date of the drug test result;

(B) The refusal of a certified person to submit a sample;

(C) A certified person possessing a substituted sample or an adulterated sample; or

(D) A certified person submitting a substituted sample or an adulterated sample.

(3) When the employer submits the completed notification form prescribed by the director, the employer shall also submit a copy of the laboratory test results showing the substances tested for and the results of the test.

(4) Notice shall result in the immediate temporary suspension of all certificates held by the certified person who failed the screening, pending a hearing before the board of appeals pursuant to §22A-1-2 of this code.

(e) Suspension or revocation of a certified person’s certificate as a miner or other miner specialty in another jurisdiction by the applicable regulatory or licensing authority for substance abuse-related matters shall result in the director’s immediately and temporarily suspending the certified person’s West Virginia certificate until such time as the certified person’s certification is reinstated in the other jurisdiction.

(f) The provisions of this article shall not be construed to preclude an employer from developing or maintaining a drug and alcohol abuse policy, testing program, or substance abuse program that exceeds the minimum requirements set forth in this section. The provisions of this article shall also not be construed to require an employer to alter, amend, revise or otherwise change, in any respect, a previously established substance abuse screening policy and program that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements set forth in this section. The provisions of this article shall require an employer to subject its employees who as part of their employment are regularly present at a mine and who are employed in a safety-sensitive position to preemployment and random substance abuse tests: Provided, That each employer shall retain the discretion to establish the parameters of its substance abuse screening policy and program so long as it meets the minimum requirements of this article. For purposes of this section, a "safety-sensitive position" means an employment position where the employee’s job responsibilities include duties and activities that involve the personal safety of the employee or others working at a mine.

Legislative History

2019 Reg. Sess., SB635; 2015 Reg. Sess., SB357; 2014 Reg. Sess., SB623; 2012 Reg. Sess., HB4351; 1988 Reg. Sess., SB199; 1985 Reg. Sess., HB1850