Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 42 : Section 12114


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 12114. Illegal use of drugs and alcohol

    (a) Qualified individual with a disability
      For purposes of this subchapter, the term "qualified individual
    with a disability" shall not include any employee or applicant who
    is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when the covered
    entity acts on the basis of such use.
    (b) Rules of construction
      Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to
    exclude as a qualified individual with a disability an individual
    who - 
        (1) has successfully completed a supervised drug rehabilitation
      program and is no longer engaging in the illegal use of drugs, or
      has otherwise been rehabilitated successfully and is no longer
      engaging in such use;
        (2) is participating in a supervised rehabilitation program and
      is no longer engaging in such use; or
        (3) is erroneously regarded as engaging in such use, but is not
      engaging in such use;

    except that it shall not be a violation of this chapter for a
    covered entity to adopt or administer reasonable policies or
    procedures, including but not limited to drug testing, designed to
    ensure that an individual described in paragraph (1) or (2) is no
    longer engaging in the illegal use of drugs.
    (c) Authority of covered entity
      A covered entity - 
        (1) may prohibit the illegal use of drugs and the use of
      alcohol at the workplace by all employees;
        (2) may require that employees shall not be under the influence
      of alcohol or be engaging in the illegal use of drugs at the
      workplace;
        (3) may require that employees behave in conformance with the
      requirements established under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of
      1988 (41 U.S.C. 701 et seq.);
        (4) may hold an employee who engages in the illegal use of
      drugs or who is an alcoholic to the same qualification standards
      for employment or job performance and behavior that such entity
      holds other employees, even if any unsatisfactory performance or
      behavior is related to the drug use or alcoholism of such
      employee; and
        (5) may, with respect to Federal regulations regarding alcohol
      and the illegal use of drugs, require that - 
          (A) employees comply with the standards established in such
        regulations of the Department of Defense, if the employees of
        the covered entity are employed in an industry subject to such
        regulations, including complying with regulations (if any) that
        apply to employment in sensitive positions in such an industry,
        in the case of employees of the covered entity who are employed
        in such positions (as defined in the regulations of the
        Department of Defense);
          (B) employees comply with the standards established in such
        regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, if the
        employees of the covered entity are employed in an industry
        subject to such regulations, including complying with
        regulations (if any) that apply to employment in sensitive
        positions in such an industry, in the case of employees of the
        covered entity who are employed in such positions (as defined
        in the regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission); and
          (C) employees comply with the standards established in such
        regulations of the Department of Transportation, if the
        employees of the covered entity are employed in a
        transportation industry subject to such regulations, including
        complying with such regulations (if any) that apply to
        employment in sensitive positions in such an industry, in the
        case of employees of the covered entity who are employed in
        such positions (as defined in the regulations of the Department
        of Transportation).
    (d) Drug testing
      (1) In general
        For purposes of this subchapter, a test to determine the
      illegal use of drugs shall not be considered a medical
      examination.
      (2) Construction
        Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to encourage,
      prohibit, or authorize the conducting of drug testing for the
      illegal use of drugs by job applicants or employees or making
      employment decisions based on such test results.
    (e) Transportation employees
      Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to encourage,
    prohibit, restrict, or authorize the otherwise lawful exercise by
    entities subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of
    Transportation of authority to - 
        (1) test employees of such entities in, and applicants for,
      positions involving safety-sensitive duties for the illegal use
      of drugs and for on-duty impairment by alcohol; and
        (2) remove such persons who test positive for illegal use of
      drugs and on-duty impairment by alcohol pursuant to paragraph (1)
      from safety-sensitive duties in implementing subsection (c) of
      this section.



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