Employee Drug Testing

Although the precise cost of drug testing federal workers in the executive branch is unknown, GAO estimates that total expenses could top $168 million annually if all executive branch employees and new hires were tested. GAO estimates that each agency would spend about $43 per test, including the review of test results by a doctor, purchase and submission of blind testing specimens for quality assurance, and collection of specimens from employees.

GAO found that: (1) the total annual cost of testing all executive branch employees, each new selected federal applicant, including administrative and other costs, would be approximately $168 million; (2) the average direct cost per test incurred by federal agencies was $73.46; (3) agencies which conduct random testing could reduce costs by testing at lower frequency rates; and (4) from 1987 to 1991, the Department of Justice litigated 68 drug testing-related cases, at a cost of about $725,000.