Montana State Drug Testing Laws
Workplace Drug Testing Issues – Montana State Laws
These categories do not affect DOT-regulated drug testing. Government employers should always call for potential additional restrictions on employee drug testing.
Check out: An Employer's Guide to Drug Testing in Montana. There are requirements including a comprehensive written policy for employer drug testing in Montana. These specific requirements apply to employees and applicants who will work in a hazardous work environment, a security position, a position that affects public safety or health, a position involving a fiduciary obligation to the employer, or a position that requires driving.
Denial of workers comp claim – Montana Code 39-71-407
Denial of unemployment claim – Montana Code Ann. 39-51-2303
Random Testing – Mont. Code Ann. 39-2-208
Workplace Drug Testing Laws in Montana
| Drug Testing Issue |
Status |
Comments |
| Instant or POCT Testing |
Prohibited |
Law requires mirroring of DOT testing. |
| Drug Panels |
Restricted |
SAMHSA 5 panel only |
| Laboratory |
Restricted |
SAMHSA certified lab only |
| Medical Review Officer |
Required |
Required for both positive and negative results |
| Random Testing |
Restricted |
Follow Mont. Code Ann. 39-2-208 |
| Post-Accident |
Restricted |
Injury caused death or personal injury or property damage above $1,500. |
| Reasonable Suspicion |
No Restrictions |
|
| Oral Fluids |
No Restrictions |
|
| Hair Testing |
Restricted |
Not mentioned in Montana Law |
| Unemployment Denial |
Yes |
Address in company policy, terminate for misconduct. |
| Workers Comp Discount |
No |
|
| Intoxication Defense |
Yes |
An employee is not eligible for benefits if the employee's use of alcohol or drugs not prescribed by a physician is the major contributing cause of the accident. However, if the employer had knowledge of and failed to stop the employee's use of alcohol or drugs, this subsection does not apply. |
| Medical Marijuana |
Yes |
Employers are not required to accommodate an employee's use of medical marijuana. Further, employers may prohibit employees' use of medical marijuana in employment contracts. |
| Recreational Marijuana |
No |
|
| Report Driver DOT Positives |
No |
|
| General Statute |
|
The Montana Workforce Drug and Alcohol Testing Act (§§ 39-2-205 through 39-2-211, MCA) - Employers plan to establish a drug and alcohol testing program. Still, they are not regulated, in whole or in part, by a DOT agency that must comply with Montana law. |
Intoxication Defense – Denial of Workers Compensation Claim – States vary in their willingness to allow employers to use an injured worker's intoxication against a compensation claim. State laws' intoxication defenses generally fall into one of three rough categories: reasons that do not depend on causation; defenses that require some form of proximate causation between intoxication and injury; and defenses that require that intoxication be the sole cause of injury. Always check with your insurance company and your attorney when you have a refusal or positive post-accident test after an injury.
This chart is intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for legal guidance. State
and local law vary greatly; therefore, you are advised to consult experienced legal counsel during the design
of your actual substance abuse testing program and with any questions that follow.
View Individual State Law Summaries
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