Local News in Brief : Countywide : Supervisors Approve Drug-Testing Contract
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a one-year, $26,745 contract with UC Irvine’s laboratory service to provide pre-employment drug tests for applicants seeking jobs as county law enforcement officers, fire personnel and heavy-equipment operators.
The contract with UCI Pathology Referral Services becomes effective Oct. 1 and can be renewed for two years without special authorization. Officials say the drug testing will begin as soon as the contract is effective.
When the board approved the drug-testing plan earlier this year, board Chairman Harriett M. Wieder cited a study that showed drug use among Californians to be 2.5% higher than the rest of the nation.
The board’s action then grew out of a voluntary testing program for job applicants in 1987. The test indicated that 5% of those tested were using some kind of illegal or prescription drug.
Officials of county employee unions have said they do not oppose drug testing of job applicants as long as the tests are limited to specified job categories and as long as they are conducted in a controlled environment.
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