Drug Testing Laws in the State of Rhode Island

Drug Testing The state's drug testing law places many restrictions on workplace drug testing. The law permits testing only 'if the employer has reasonable grounds to believe based on specific aspects of the employee's job performance and on specific contemporaneous observations, capable of being articulated, concerning the employee's appearance, behavior or speech that the employee's use of controlled substances is impairing his or her ability to perform his or her job'. An employee may not be terminated following a first positive drug test unless he or she refuses rehabilitation. Employees must be referred to a rehabilitation program following a positive drug test result. Additional procedural requirements also exist.

WORKERS COMPENSATION

RHODE ISLAND Workers' Compensation State law denies benefits to an employee whose injury or death is the result of his or her intoxication or use of controlled substances