An applicant tests positive for drugs and claims there must be a mistake. Should I allow him a have a second drug screen?
Under no circumstances should an applicant / employee be allowed to have a ‘new’ specimen collected when they claim ‘the lab made a mistake’. If the Chain of Custody is intact, and the initial positive results were confirmed by GC / MS procedure, there is virtually no room for error. Keep this in mind: these tests are highly structured, federally regulated, sophisticated procedures conducted in a certified laboratory. A mistake is not likely. There are other options available at this point: re-confirming the original specimen; transporting the specimen to another lab for testing; or the services of an MRO.
