Truck driver background & drug test company launches COVID-19 screening service

A company that provides trucking companies with driver background checks and drug testing announced the launch of a new COVID-19 testing service.

On August 19, HireRight announced that they would provide COVID-19 testing to trucking companies in the U.S. as part of their Drug & Health Screening services.

Using the HireRight platform, employers will now be able to order a COVID-19 antigen test for a driver employee.

The HireRight test uses saliva rather than a nasal swab to detect the presence of Coronavirus and can be self-administered in an employee’s home. The sample is then mailed to a lab using pre-paid postage. The results of the test are shared with both the trucking company and the employee.

On June 17, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that employers are not allowed to require mandatory antibody testing (the kind that determines whether you’ve ever had COVID-19) on employees as it is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, antigen testing for active cases of COVID-19 — like the ones now offered by HireRight — are allowed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the workforce, and we believe that testing is a critical component to allow businesses to move forward from this crisis,” said Dr. Todd Simo, Chief Medical Officer at HireRight. “The addition of COVID-19 testing to HireRight’s Drug & Health Screening services provides employers an additional tool to help them reopen their businesses while striving to reduce the risk to their employees and customers of COVID-19 exposure.”