Improvements to Random Test Notification Announced
To serve you better and make your compliance with Coast Guard drug and alcohol testing regulations more convenient, The Maritime Consortium, Inc. (Maritime) is improving how your company is notified for random testing during 2007.
Random test notifications will no longer be sent via certified mail. When/if selected, your employee's testing package (in the big green and white envelope) will now be waiting for you in your mailbox. You will no longer have to worry about missing the mailman, or having to go to the post office to pick-up your random notifications.
To assist you with this new procedure, Maritime will send you a pre-notification, via confidential email, fax or mail, to advise you in advance of the upcoming random test for your employee(s). This pre-notification allows you to inform Maritime of any employees no longer employed with you before their testing paperwork is sent. Then, 2-4 weeks after this notification you will receive the testing paperwork for your selected employee(s) via regular US Mail.
Per Coast Guard regulations (46 CFR Part 16.230 h) the pre-notification must not be given to your employee(s). Your employee(s) can only be notified of the random test after the testing forms have been received and immediately before being sent to the specimen collection facility. If you are selected, as the DER or the owner/operator, Maritime cannot pre-notify you of this test in order for the test to remain unannounced.
As always, you, or your employee(s), must test within one business day from when you receive the testing paperwork (for DERs/owner-operators) or notify the employee of the random test.
Maritime is proud to have improved its services to our members while keeping enrollment fees at the same low rate.
Please see the “Frequently Asked Questions” below or you may contact us toll-free at 1-800-775-6985, or via email at info@drugfreevessel.com for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the
Improvements in Random Test Mailing Procedures
1. Why was this change made?
At the request of many of our members, Maritime improved the mailing procedures for random test notifications. Members indicated that it was inconvenient to have to take time away from work to go to the post office on a Saturday or during the workday to receive their notifications. Under the new procedures, we still receive delivery confirmation while eliminating the need for you to sign for the package at the post office.
2. What is a pre-notification for random testing?
To assist our members with the new procedure for mailing random test notifications, Maritime pre-notifies the Designated Employee Representative (DER) of the test selection via email, fax or mail (except for DERs and sole operators/owners—Please see FAQ #3). This pre-notification also allows the DER to report to Maritime any employees that are no longer employed by the employer before the testing forms are sent.
Within 2-4 weeks after pre-notification, the DER will receive the testing paperwork for your selected employee(s) via regular US Mail.
Per Coast Guard regulations (§16.230 h) this pre-notification must not be given to your employee(s). Your employee(s) can only be notified of the random test immediately before being sent to the specimen collection facility.
3. I am the DER, or a sole-operator/owner, why won’t I receive a pre-notification for my random selection?
If you are selected, as the DER or the sole-owner/operator, Maritime cannot pre-notify you of this test in order for the test to remain unannounced. Per Coast Guard regulations (46 CFR Part 16.230 h) the pre-notification must also not be given to your employee(s). Your employee(s) can only be notified of the random test immediately before being sent to the specimen collection facility.
4. What is a Designated Employee Representative?
Each member company of Maritime is required by federal regulations (§40.3) to appoint a Designated Employee Representative (DER). This person is the contact person for all test notices, test results and company correspondence. The DER is also responsible for properly following the random testing instructions, including filing Reason for Failure to Test excuses and making sure that your employees complete their random testing. Maritime will only speak to the DER regarding your company’s information.
5. I don’t check my mail everyday, how can I receive my notice and remain in compliance?
As a DER or sole-owner/operator, you must test within one business day of when you receive/open the notice of the random test. In other words, if the test was mailed on Friday, and delivered to your mailbox on Tuesday, but you picked up your mail on Wednesday, you would need to test 24 hours from receiving the notice - on Wednesday or Thursday.
If you are a DER and the notice is for your employee(s), the employee(s) must test within one business day of you notifying them of the random test. If you pick up your mail on Thursday and decide not to notify the employee(s) until Monday morning, then they must test immediately after being notified by you of the random test on Monday.
Maritime will continue to mail out all random testing notices in the 10 x 13 green and white envelopes that you have become familiar with.
6. I am not always at the address I have on file with Maritime, how will I know that I received a random and avoid being reported to the Coast Guard?
There are two options for you in this situation:
1. If you have a mailing address at your second location that we can mail to during certain months of the year, our database will allow for the addresses to switch where the test was mailed based on the mailing date of the package (simply fax, email, or mail us your second address and time you expect to be there).
2. Maritime does account for “missing random notifications” via email, fax and mail, therefore, when we see that your random has not been taken after 30 days of mailing, you will be given the chance to complete the test before being reported to the Coast Guard.
