SB47 Summary

• Requires the Alabama Department of Labor to implement a drug screening program for unemployment benefits applicants who work in occupations designated by the U.S. Department of Labor as regularly conducting drug screenings.

• Makes applicants ineligible for benefits if they refuse to take a drug screening, delay the screening beyond the department's timeframe, or test positive for drugs without a valid prescription.

• Establishes that the Department of Labor bears the cost of all drug screenings conducted under the program.

• Provides that denied applicants may request an administrative hearing to review the denial, and that screening results are inadmissible in criminal proceedings but admissible in administrative hearings.

• Requires the department to notify applicants at the time of application about potential drug screening requirements and obtain written acknowledgment that applicants understand the notice.