COEUR d'ALENE — Drug tests for all new city employees are a thing of the past.

The Coeur d’Alene City Council decided this week that across-the-board drug screening is no longer required for prospective new hires, but certain positions will still require pre-screening. Although the city has implemented changes in how it addresses the issue daily, Human Resources Director Melissa Tosi told The Press little has been done to change the policy itself since it was first written and approved in 1995.

"So there was language in there that was really outdated and needed to be updated," Tosi said.

Tosi added that in 1995 when the policy was adopted, there was a push for a completely drug-free workplace, and testing every prospect for drug and alcohol use was seen as the way to accomplish it. However, after the policy was implemented, Tosi said a number of federal court rulings concluded mandated drug testing in the public sector is a violation under the Fourth Amendment.

Now, pre-employment drug screening is required only for positions where a commercial driver's license is needed, as well as positions deemed "safety sensitive."

"They're defined as jobs in which the duties of the regular job could could reasonably expect to affect the health, safety and security of citizens," Tosi said. "The bulk of our safety sensitive pool is going to be law enforcement and fire."

Regardless of the federal rulings, Tosi said relaxing policy on who is actually drug tested before finalizing their employment with the city is appropriate. Most city employees, she said, do not work in positions where there would be a public safety risk should they show up to work under the influence.

"And honestly we do not have a problem with our drug testing as a majority," she added. "We have had very, very little positive tests over a number of years. It's very rare for us to have activity on the positive tests."

In addition, the updated policy makes it clear employees will not be allowed to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"For our departments that's really the most important thing," Tosi said. "As long as we can still test when we have reasonable suspicion or an accident, those are the more important tests for us."

The city also has an Employee Assistance Program to help employees if they’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction.

"Part of our drug policy is not to catch employees, but to help them if they have some sort of issue and the EAP component is a big part of that helping process," Tosi added.