Drug Testing Laws in Indiana

Indiana law has very little to say about workplace drug testing.

By , J.D. · UC Berkeley School of Law

Has your Indiana employer or prospective employer asked you to take a drug test? Federal law places few limits on employer drug testing: Although the federal government requires testing by employers in a few safety-sensitive industries (including transportation, aviation, and contractors with NASA and the Department of Defense), federal law doesn't otherwise require – or prohibit drug tests. For the most part, state and local laws dictate whether an employer may test employees for drugs.

Although many states have statutes that lay out the circumstances when an employer may and may not require drug testing, Indiana isn't one of them.

Drug Testing Laws in Indiana

In Indiana, the law doesn't encourage or prohibit testing. However, the state's discrimination law explicitly states that it is legal for employers to require drug tests of employees who have been or are in a drug rehabilitation program.

Employer Testing for Marijuana

Indiana is one of the few remaining states that hasn't legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes. That means employers in Indiana can drug test for marijuana, and fire, discipline, or take other adverse action against employees who test positive for the drug.

Legal Claims for Unlawful Drug Testing

Even though Indiana law doesn't expressly prohibit drug testing, an employer may run into legal trouble based on the way it conducts the test or who it decides to test. Here are some examples:

  • Disability discrimination. An applicant or employee who is taking medication for a disability is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some prescribed medications turn up on drug tests, and some drugs that would otherwise be illegal (such as opiates) are legitimately prescribed for certain conditions. If an applicant is turned down because of a positive drug test, and the applicant's medication was legally prescribed for a disability, the company could be liable (unless the drug is medical marijuana).
  • Other discrimination claims. An employer who singles out certain groups of employees – for example, by race, age, or gender – for drug testing could face a discrimination claim.
  • Invasion of privacy. Even an employer that has a legitimate reason to test might violate employee privacy in the way it conducts the test. For example, requiring employees to disrobe or provide a urine sample in front of others could be a privacy violation, depending on the circumstances.
  • Defamation. An employee might have a valid claim for defamation if the employer publicizes that the employee tested positive, if the employer has reason to know that the test is inaccurate.
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