Pubdate: Wed, 09 Apr 2003
Source: Daily Iowan, The (IA Edu)
Copyright: 2003 The Daily Iowan
Contact:  http://www.dailyiowan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/937
Author: James Baetke
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

CORALVILLE 'TWEAKS' DRUG-TEST POLICY

Coralville City Council slightly altered its substance-abuse policy to 
allow operators who drive heavy machinery to retake a drug test immediately 
should they fail.

"It was just some tweaking of the first policy," said Councilor Henry Herwig.

Passed unanimously, the resolution slightly adds to the 53-page policy on 
procedures the city takes toward those who operate buses and heavy 
equipment in the Parks and Recreation Department and the Streets Department.

The resolution gives employees who fail a drug test an immediate 
opportunity to retake the test at their own cost, Herwig said. The 
amendments also designate a transit employee to handle the case in the 
instance that Coralville's risk manager is not available.

Councilor Dave Jacoby said the policy needed fine-tuning because the city 
was looking at national drug policies and decided to localize its 
regulations on substance abuse.

The substance-abuse policy mandates that those who operate heavy machinery 
for the city are given random drug tests to ensure the safety of the 
employee and residents of Coralville and to comply with the Federal Transit 
Administration Law of 1993.

If results come up positive, individuals are given an opportunity to enter 
a drug-treatment counseling program paid for by the city, said Coralville 
Human Relations Director Michael Funke. Upon the completion of the drug 
program, individuals are tested again before returning to their duties and 
are subject to six periodic tests thereafter.

If they test positive a second time, individuals are terminated.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom