What Has To Be Understood About Reasonable Suspicion Reasonable suspicion as pertaining to drug control for an organization is considered one of the legal standards of proof in the United States. The importance of a legal standard is to balance properly each citizen's civil rights against the importance of identifying criminal behavior. Because both sides of the balance are important and critical, strict rules govern the way a particular situation may be judged for this type of situation. Law enforcement officers are given more leeway with actions that could otherwise be deemed as an intrusion of privacy if the suspicion is verified as being a fact. The specific definition will vary from state to state when it pertains to reasonable suspicion as far as drug control is concerned. Some of the most common tenets of this proof include the perceived physical symptoms or manifestations of being under the influence of alcohol or a drug while on duty or at work. Some signs and symptoms are pretty simple to a judge like dilated pupils and must be documented with photographs to help protect the company from invasion of privacy liability. Other symptoms, such as a change in personality, are much more subjective. This type of evidence tends to be much weaker for this reason as it is not solid proof. If two or more employees reach the same conclusion the claim is a lot more relevant to the charge. Documentation is even more essential in these kinds of situations. A time stamped video recording lasting 30 seconds or longer is suitable in the case of personality changes. A second tenet of proof is the direct observation of alcohol or drug use while on the job. Additionally, it may include the possession, sale, or transfer of drugs while on duty. Perhaps most importantly, this proof is complete if the employee fails a drug test and undergoes all the validation protocols that involves. By the rules of invasion of privacy, a supervisor cannot unilaterally pick a single employee and test him daily. Not simply by a whim of a supervisor, tests are limited in their frequency and must be given through a scheduled protocol. A third party testing company must specify the exact dates for random screening. The processes are enacted with rigorous protocols during these alcohol or drug tests. Not only risking employment, any employee that refuses a drug test garners an element of guilt. Many guidelines regarding test protocols ensure that an individual cannot “cheat†on their tests, including a careful identify check of the person appearing for the test, and the banning of any objects brought into the testing location. Any violation of protocol invalidates the test and requires a repeat. A whole new protocol takes over in the event an employee tests positive for a drug. The medical review officer (MRO) certifies the test. Any positive test results result in the employee receiving the chance to produce a reason for that conclusion. The lab must reconfirm a positive test by using a split specimen in case an employee challenges the results. The key to understanding reasonable suspicion and how to deal with suspected drug use is training. The standard of training is often the key concern when deciding on one drug testing program provider over another. Standard training is afforded all personnel. In order to be the decision making body for a variety of situations, leaders must go through a comprehensive training Western Aero Medical Consortium
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What Has To Be Understood About Reasonable Suspicion course. Properly trained staff members and managers will be the best prepared to provide for the safety of themselves and their customers through drug awareness, while obeying all the legal requirements of their company and government regulations. If you want to get training on reasonable suspicion management practices, contact Western Aeromedical Consortium. Go to http://www.faadrug.com/ to learn more details about Western Aeromedical Consortium.
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