New DOT Workaround Helps Fired Drivers Get Back to Work After a Positive Test

If you’re a DOT regulated driver who’s tested positive on a drug or alcohol test and lost your job, you might feel stuck. You’ve completed your SAP evaluation, maybe even your education or treatment, but without an employer to conduct your Return to Duty RTD test, you’re not eligible for safety-sensitive work.

And that’s a big problem.

Why Drivers Get Stuck

When you apply for a new job, the employer checks your Clearinghouse dashboard. If it says you haven’t completed a negative RTD test, they can’t hire you for a safety sensitive role. Even if you’ve done everything else right, that missing test keeps you locked out.

Some drivers never get hired again, not because they’re unsafe, but because they don’t have an employer willing to sponsor that RTD test.

The DOT’s New Workaround

Good news. DOT has created a new solution for this exact situation.

If you’ve been fired and don’t have an employer to conduct your RTD test, there’s now a way to complete it so you can become eligible for work again. This workaround allows you to take the RTD test without being employed, so your dashboard can be updated and future employers can see that you’re cleared for safety-sensitive duties.

We’ll be diving into the details of how this process works on Thursday, but here’s the key takeaway:

You don’t have to stay stuck. There’s a path forward, even if you don’t currently have a job.

What About Follow Up Testing?

Once you’re hired again, your new employer will be responsible for your Follow Up Testing Plan, which is created by your SAP. Here’s what you need to know:

1. The minimum is six follow up tests in the first 12 months
2. The plan can extend up to five years, depending on your SAP’s clinical judgment
3. You do not receive a copy of your follow up testing plan. It goes directly to your employer

This is to protect the integrity of the testing process and ensure compliance with DOT regulations.

This new workaround is a game changer for drivers who’ve done the work but haven’t had the opportunity to prove they’re ready to return. It’s about fairness, safety, and giving people a real chance to move forward.