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Drug Tests at Work

Iowa Code § 730.5 — a written policy, a split sample, and a confirmed result before action is taken

  • Samples are collected in sanitary conditions with regard for privacy, and an employee's sample is split so a second independent test can be run.
  • The person tested may give information relevant to the test, such as prescription or other drugs recently used.
  • Any initial positive must be confirmed by a different method at a certified laboratory, and a medical review officer reviews it before it is reported.
  • An employer may act on a confirmed positive result, including refusing to hire.
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An employee with a confirmed positive is told in writing by certified mail of the result and of the right to have the second sample tested at a laboratory of the employee's choice.

Sources for this section (1)
  1. Iowa Code § 730.5 — Private sector drug-free workplaces

Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.

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