Consortium & Third Party Administrator (TPA) Services

Consortiums for DOT and Non-regulated random pools are managed in house. We will not contract your services out. We use an internet based program where you can choose to manage your employee information or our expert staff can manage it for you. This program allows you to update personnel, view outstanding random draws, print and review test results as well as customize reports. Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual, or custom random draws can be set.

Northern Testing gives you the same personalized service you expect employees to give your customers. Consortium members receive free consulting along with policy development and review, if needed.

Needing technical advice or clarification? We’ll research the regulations and find an answer for any question regarding 49CFR, Parts 40, 382, 383, and 391.

You tell us what you want, and we will create it, insuring your program meets applicable regulations. Your Third Party Administrator (TPA) should not be dictating the parameters of your program.

The Department of Transportation has created a database for reporting positive drug & alcohol tests
and refusals to test by truck drivers who are required to participate in DOT Drug/Alcohol testing. All
Motor Carriers, including Owner/Operators, must enroll with the Clearinghouse. To enroll click
HERE. Drivers can click HERE to register.

The Clearinghouse is in place to allow Medical Review Officers, Third Party Administrators, Collection
Sites and Employers to report positive drug / alcohol tests and report refusals to test.

It is free to register and takes literally 5 minutes! Don’t fall into an expensive trap by a third-party
website that will charge you a fee to register. Be wary of any company charging a fee to register your
company.

In the past, there was no place to report drivers who, for example, failed or attempted to cheat and
were caught on a Pre-employment test, then applied to another company without going through the
Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) process first. Or, Owner/Operators who failed a drug/alcohol test
but continue to drive. The Clearinghouse will notify the State in which the driver holds his Commercial
Driver’s License and that State will then suspend the driver’s CDL until he/she has completed the SAP
process. The Clearinghouse will make it impossible for a driver to “job hop” after the driver fails a
drug/alcohol test.

There is a process that we recommend be followed when hiring new drivers:

Once you determine that you want to hire an applicant, you should ask if that applicant is registered
with the Clearinghouse. If so, let us know, we will have the Clearinghouse begin the “Query” process.
Once the Clearinghouse obtains permission from the Applicant, we can then complete the Query. All of
this is done electronically using email. If the Applicant does not give permission, we cannot complete the
Query, and this Applicant is ineligible for hire. You cannot hire a driver who is not registered and/or does
not give permission for a query.

If the Applicant is not registered with the Clearinghouse, then before you hire that Applicant, he/she
must register.

For this process to work, your company must also register with the Clearinghouse and purchase a
“Query package”. Call our office (701-839-4730) or drop by and ask for the Backgrounds Department, if
you need help with getting registered. We can also email information and walk you through it on the
phone for registering if you are having trouble getting registered.

It is a little bit more work, but worth it in the end. The Federal Government is trying to weed out the
problem drivers.

Employer Info & Facts

SAP Process for the Employer
The DOT and some non-DOT contracts (such as Oilfield) requires the following specific steps to be taken following a positive test.

1. Removal from safety-sensitive functions (i.e., driving, pipeline) immediately: Even if on the road in another state, he/she must be notified to cease driving as soon it’s safe to do so.

2. Initial evaluation with a DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP): During this face-to-face interview, the SAP will evaluate the employee to understand his/her situation and history. This evaluation allows the SAP to determine what type of activities or treatment the employee must undergo.

3. Education and Treatment Program: The SAP will prescribe a treatment program for the donor based on the initial interview.

4. Follow-Up Evaluation with the SAP: After the employee has completed the SAP’s treatment program, another evaluation must take place with the same SAP. At that time, he/she will determine whether the employee may take an RTD (Return to Duty) test and resume safety-sensitive functions.

5. Follow-Up Test Schedule: The SAP will provide the Designated Employer Representative (DER) with a schedule of Follow-Up Tests, which will include a minimum of 6 tests over the next year, and up to to 60 months follow up testing.

6. Drug Test: Here’s where the RTD comes in. Once the SAP confirms that the employee has successfully completed all requirements, he/she will recommend to the DER that the donor may take an observed RTD test. Once a negative test result is received, the employee may resume safety-sensitive functions.

Follow Up Tests do not replace Random Tests. The employee must also be included in a regular random testing pool and complete any selections he/she may receive. A Random test cannot replace a Follow-Up and a Follow-Up cannot replace a Random, as Random tests are not taken under direct observation.

There is no requirement that the employer must do this. Your only requirement is that you must provide a SAP contact. You do not have to hire or retain the employee. The employee, however, must finish the steps above.

If you choose to keep/hire an employee that has failed a test, the cost can be paid by the company or it can be a requirement that the employer pays. The employee cannot be added to your testing pools until the SAP process and return to duty test have been completed.

SAP Process for the Employee

What will happen to me if I violate a DOT drug & alcohol rule (e.g. test positive, or refuse a test)?
Your employer is required to immediately remove you from performing safety-sensitive functions. You will not be permitted to return to DOT regulated safety-sensitive functions until you have:

1. Undergone an evaluation by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). Your employer must provide you with a list of SAPs that you can use.
2. Successfully completed any course, counseling or treatment prescribed by the SAP prior to returning to service.
3. Undergone a follow-up evaluation by the same SAP to determine your compliance with their recommendations.
4. Provided a breath and/or urine specimen that tests negative for drugs and/or alcohol prior to returning to DOT regulated safety-sensitive functions.

You will also be subject to unannounced “Follow-Up” testing for drugs and/or alcohol for at least 6 times during the first 12 months of active service with the possibility of unannounced testing for up to 60 months (as prescribed by the SAP). The Return-to-Duty and Follow-Up drug tests will be conducted under direct observation.

Link to the DOT

https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/employee

List of Some DOT Qualified SAPs 

There are many substance abuse professionals you can choose from. Here are a few places to get started. 

https://www.saplist.com/find-a-sap/
https://www.naadac.org/sap-directory
https://go2asap.com/positive-test/find-a-sap/

Dilute Test Results Information

Negative Dilute Drug Test Result

There are times an employer gets back a negative dilute drug test result. What does it mean that the specimen is negative dilute? Perhaps the donor drinks a lot of water or perhaps the donor is trying to cheat the test.

When the lab reports a specimen as dilute, there are certain levels of creatinine and specific gravity that determine that the specimen may be dilute.  This basically means that the donor consumed a larger quantity of water before providing the urine specimen.  This may be normal for some people who drink an excess of water for health reasons drank a lot of water for fear of not being able to urinate at the time of their drug test collection. Or this may be abnormal as perhaps the donor is drinking an excessive quantity of water in an attempt to cheat on the drug test.  So there is a little bit of “gray” area concerning specimens that are reported as dilute.

Positive Dilute Tests

If the report from your Medical Review Officer (MRO) is Positive Dilute, the results is Positive and the company should follow policy for the Positive result.  The indication that the specimen was dilute is not relevant to the handling of the positive test result.

Negative Federal/DOT Dilute Tests

For negative dilute results, Federal employees or DOT drug testing the following guidelines apply:

In the regulated drug testing program negative dilutes are handled in one of two ways depending on the creatinine levels. 

1. When specimens have creatinine levels of greater than or equal to 2 mg/dl but less than 5 mg/dl; Specific Gravity less than or equal to 1.0010 the medical review officer (MRO) will report the results as negative dilute with a requirement that the donor go for a second collection under direct observation.

2. When specimens have creatinine levels of 5 mg/dl or greater but less than 20 mg/dl and Specific Gravity greater than 1.0010 but less than 1.0200, this is a negative dilute and the employer should have a policy on how to handle this situation.  The MRO drug test result report will simply state Negative Dilute. The policy should either be to accept the result as is or to have the donor go for a second collection.  DOT rules (49 CFR Part 40.197) allow the employer to make a decision to re-collect these donors one time under the following circumstances:

• There is a policy statement in place before the fact that allows the practice.

• All employees are treated equally.

• The re-collections are not observed re-collections.

• Only one re-collection is allowed, and the result of the second collection is the result of record, even if it is another negative, dilute.

• The decision to re-collect may vary by reason for test. In other words, an employer may decide to re-collect all pre-employment dilute negatives, but not random dilutes, or vice versa.

NON – DOT Negative Dilutes

The decision on how to handle the non-regulated Negative Dilute drug test is an employer decision.

A dilute specimen is a urine specimen that has a creatinine of greater than 5 mg/dl or less than 20 g/dl and a specific gravity is less than 1.0010 (or greater than 1.0200). These 2 tests are performed on every urine sample that is tested at a Lab. If the specimen meets the above 2 criteria, it is reported as a “Dilute specimen”. When a urine specimen is “dilute”, it is possible that drugs in their system may not be detected. For this reason, we highly recommend employers have a section in their drug testing policy stating that another specimen be collected with minimum advance notice, this will help prevent false negative results. However, the employer may also elect to accept the negative results with the notation “dilute” from the lab. The company policy should be consistent in all cases.

As with DOT testing, there is a highly suspicious level of dilution which would be where the creatinine levels are greater than or equal to 2 mg/dl but less than 5 mg/dl; Specific Gravity less than or equal to 1.0010 the medical review officer (MRO) will report the results as negative dilute with a recommendation that the donor go for a second collection under direct observation.

We recommend a second collection with little advance notice and instructions to not drink an unusually large quantity of fluids before the testing.  For applicants the second test would determine eligibility for employment and should be negative, not negative dilute.  For employees, a supervisor should escort the employee to the test to insure that large quantities of fluids are not consumed.

Sample policy language for regulated and non-regulated drug testing programs is included below.

DOT Policy Language Recommendations

DILUTE SPECIMEN

If the MRO informs the Company that a negative test was dilute, the Company may take the following action depending on Company policy and/or guidance provided by the MRO:

(1) If the MRO directs that a recollection take place under direct observation (i.e., because the creatinine concentration of the specimen was equal to or greater than 2mg/dL, but less than or equal to 5 mg/dL), the Company will do so immediately. Failure of the employee or applicant to submit for this recollection is classified by the DOT as a refusal to test.

(2) Otherwise (i.e., if the creatinine concentration of the negative dilute specimen is greater than 5 mg/dL), the Company will for existing employees:

1. 1. 1. Accept the negative dilute result as is, OR
      2. Require the employee for a retest upon immediate notification and be escorted by a supervisor.

(3) Regarding a negative dilute (greater than 5 mg/dL on an applicant, the Company will:

1. 1. 1. Accept the negative dilute result as is, OR
      2. Require the applicant to retest within 24 hours and provide instructions to applicant on how to avoid a dilute specimen.

NOTE: The Company will treat all employees the same for this purpose. The Company may, however, establish different policies for different types of tests (e.g., conduct retests in pre-employment situations, but not in random test situations). The Company will inform its employees in advance of its decisions on these matters.

When such a retest is required after a negative dilute specimen, the employee or applicant will be given the minimum possible advance notice that he or she must go to the collection site. Instructions will be provided on how to avoid a dilute specimen.  The result of the retest will be considered the final result, not the result from the first test.  For current employees required to submit to a return-to-duty test or follow-up test (both of which under DOT regulations must render a negative test result) a second directly observed collection resulting in a negative dilute urine test result will render the final result a “negative” test; and an applicant with a second directly observed negative dilute urine test result will not be eligible for hire under the Company’s uniformly enforced policy.

If the employee declines to take a retest required because of a dilute specimen, the action will be considered a “refusal to be tested” and will be treated the same as a confirmed and verified positive result.  The offer of employment will be rescinded if an applicant refuses to take the retest because of a dilute specimen.

Non-DOT Policy Language Recommendations

DILUTE SPECIMEN

If the MRO informs the Company that a negative test was dilute, the Company may take the following action depending on Company policy and/or guidance provided by the MRO:

(1)    If the MRO directs that a recollection take place (i.e., because the creatinine concentration of the specimen was equal to or greater than 2mg/dL, but less than or equal to 5 mg/dL), the Company will do so immediately. Failure of the employee or applicant to submit for this recollection is classified as a refusal to test.

(2)    Otherwise (i.e., if the creatinine concentration of the negative dilute specimen is greater than 5 mg/dL), the Company will for existing employees:

1. 1. 1. Accept the result as is OR;
      2. Require the employee for a retest upon immediate notification and be escorted by a supervisor.

(3)    Regarding a negative dilute (greater than 5 mg/dL on an applicant, the Company will:

1. 1. 1. Accept the negative results as is OR;
      2. Require the applicant to retest within 24 hours and provide instructions to applicant on how to avoid a dilute specimen.
      3. Do not hire.

NOTE: The Company will treat all employees the same for this purpose. The Company may, however, establish different policies for different types of tests or employee categories (e.g., conduct retests in pre-employment situations, but not in random test situations). The Company will inform its employees in advance of its decisions on these matters.

When a retest is required after a negative dilute specimen, the employee or applicant will be given the minimum possible advance notice that he or she must go to the collection site. Instructions will be provided on how to avoid a dilute specimen.  The result of the retest will be considered the final result, not the result from the first test.

If an employee declines to take a retest required because of a dilute specimen, the action will be considered a “refusal to be tested” and will be treated the same as a confirmed and verified positive result.  The offer of employment will be rescinded if an applicant refuses to take the retest because of a dilute specimen.