Ive heard that DOE is changing its policies on drug testing and the use of illegal drugs. What kind of changes will be made?
In late 2006, the Secretary established a task force to conduct a review of DOE’s personnel security program. On March 15, 2007, the Secretary accepted the unanimous recommendations of the task force in several areas, including a recommendation to change and enhance the Department’s policies regarding the use of illegal drugs. These changes could include establishing requirements for drug screening for applicants for access authorizations, and increasing the population subject to random and “for cause” (incident or reasonable suspicion) drug testing to include everyone who holds an access authorization. With regard to this last change, current drug use policies provide for including such positions in the “testing designated” category, although in many cases such individuals have been included in testing programs only if they fall under the Human Reliability Program.
