Nationwide Drug Testing and On-Site Medical Services By Mobile Medical Corporation

A southeastern Michigan nuclear power plant operator recently failed his random drug test and was suspended for at least 14 days under federal rules for nuclear plants. Federal rules require nuclear plant workers to be tested randomly for drugs and alcohol . Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng hinted that the owner - DTE Energy will decide whether to fire the employee or refer him to a program for substance abuse treatment and evaluation.  A reactor employee who fails a drug test twice will have access to any nuclear plant revoked for at least five years. Substance Abuse Testing Protects Lives!

The United States Supreme Court recently ruled 5 to 9 that the government has the authority to run background checks and drug testing on federal contract employees. Conflict surrounding the issue arose right after 9/11 when President Bush ordered security checks extended to anyone working on government funded projects. A group of 28 scientist and engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory rejected the idea as an intrusion of privacy and sued the government. Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito wrote that, “Reasonable investigations of applicants and employees aid the government in ensuring the security of its facilities and in employing a competent, reliable workforce.” In the decision, joined by five of the nine justices, Alito said “Like any employer, the Government is entitled to have its projects staffed by reliable, law-abiding persons who will ‘efficiently and effectively’ discharge their duties.”