DAC Question

Ok, I recently took a hair sample test for a large company and it came back positive for a prescribed pain medication I took occasionally for knee pain from a result of knee surgery some years back. I sent in the original prescription to the test lab but they didnt want that and request a copy of the label of the bottle. Well, the label was unreadable (Ive had it for a while) so I couldnt give that and the results were sent in as positive. The company told me of the results and informed me that it will be reported on my DAC report and I wasnt able to be rehired with them. So my question is this, will this prevent companies from even trying to hire me or is it possible that negative test will get me hired somewhere? I hate to think that I couldnt drive again.

 

You'll be able to drive again, it's going to be more difficult and require a good deal of effort. keep searching, look for small companies, maybe some less reputable companies. Quit taking pain meds for your knee also, that's just dumb. If it still causes you pain go back to see the Dr again. If there is an issue with the surgery it's better to get it correct than it is to just mask the symptoms.

 

Thanks Meltom!

 

You might want to do a little reading

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/drug/engtesting.htm

 

You're going to have big problems if the companies check the reporting agency. Plus if you try to hire on with a company that doesn't use DAC and lie about the test you'll be more in trouble if they do find out. Read the FMCSR's Part 40. I'm surprised the testing facility even wanted to deal with your prescription. That's not how it's set-up to work. You go ahead and take the test and when it comes back as a positive the COMPANY are the ones that do the checking for a doctors prescription by asking you what you took and then you show them proof.

What I would do at this point is dispute the DAC report and get a letter from your doctor telling the story how he knew you were a driver and he prescribed the meds. Send a copy of that letter with your dispute if you can.

 

If you had a positive test you should have had an MRO contact you. If your prescription was expired you'll have to go through a drug review and they will determine your future testing for the next year.

 

What is an MRO???

 

Something dosent add up here. Most facilities will only go back upto 90-120 days on the 1.5 inch hair follicle test. You say that the pain meds were for your knee surgery and provided the proof of a prescription. If your story is correct-lawyer up and win big!!!

 

1. Read the FMCSA drug testing rules. 2. The MRO-Medical Reporting Officer-should have contacted you either in person or by telephone to discuss the results. 3. There are two samples of the test: primary and secondary. You have 72 hours to request that the secondary sample be tested by another lab if the primary is positive. 4. Only the MRO has the right to ask you for a copy of the prescription or you can have your doctor contact the MRO. 5. If these steps are followed the drug test must be reported as negative. These are the rules. The lab as well as the company is required by law to follow them. I personally think you could make life miserable for someone here IF YOU followed the RULES. There are steps to protect the driver from mistakes but it's up to you to protect yourself. Read the FMCSA Drug Testing Regs!!!!!!

 

Pain meds usually have an experation date for the presription. If you use them past the date it just like buying them off the street. Pretty common practice to keep them longer as long as you're not drug tested.