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Employee Authorization to Disclose Testing Information
July 1, 2006
DER/Employer
Previous Employer Checks
Are employers and their service agents in the Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol testing program required to obtain employee written authorizations in order to disclose drug and alcohol testing information?
Answer
- In the DOT drug and alcohol testing program, employers and service agents are not required to obtain written employee authorization to disclose drug and alcohol testing information where disclosing the information is required by 49 CFR Part 40 and other DOT Agency & U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) drug and alcohol testing regulations. 49 CFR Part 40 and DOT Agency & USCG regulations provide for confidentiality of individual test-related information in a variety of other circumstances.
- Even if drug and alcohol testing information is viewed as protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) rules, it is not necessary to obtain employee written authorization where DOT requires the use or disclosure of otherwise protected health information under 49 CFR Part 40 or the other DOT Agency & USCG drug and alcohol testing regulations.
- Unless otherwise stipulated by 49 CFR Part 40 or DOT Agency & USCG regulations, use or disclosure of the DOT drug and alcohol testing information without a consent or authorization from the employee is required by the Omnibus Transportation Employees Testing Act of 1991, 49 CFR Part 40, and DOT Agency & USCG drug and alcohol testing regulations.
- Consequently, an employer or service agent in the DOT program may disclose the information without the written authorization from the employee under many circumstances.
Question
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