Drug testing regs for PSS employees OK’d

The Attorney General’s Office has approved the proposed regulations on drug testing for Public School System employees.

Attorney general Pamela S. Brown signed the proposal on Aug. 16, allowing for the publication of the regulations on the latest issue of the Commonwealth Register.

If adopted, the regulations would require drug screening for all PSS employees occupying “safety sensitive positions” and all prospective employees for such positions.

Safety sensitive positions include those charged with the responsibility of transporting students or maintaining PSS vehicles.

“The proposed regulations are promulgated to foster safety in the workplace and in the community and to improve job performance so that integrity of the workplace and the achievement of PSS’s mission are preserved,” said Board of Education chair Roman C. Benavente.

“PSS realizes that alcoholism, problem drinking, and drug addiction are treatable illnesses. Employees who have problems with drugs or alcohol are encouraged to utilize all available resources to resolve their problems before those problems affect their job performance.”

Under the proposed regulations, testing would be required before hiring of applicants for safety sensitive positions. Existing employees who occupy the said positions would also undergo random testing.

All PSS employees, however, will be subject to testing after a traffic accident or based on a reasonable suspicion by PSS supervisors.

The Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace section of the Office of Personnel Management would manage the screening process for PSS pursuant to the terms and conditions of a memorandum of understanding that would be signed by both agencies.

The proposed regulations will go through a 30-day comment period before they are certified and adopted. All interested persons may examine the proposal and submit written comments, positions, and statements for or against the proposal to the BOE chair.