Industry professionals have determined the need for a program providing Designated Employer Representatives (DERs) with education on the Department of Transportation’s regulations for drug and alcohol testing as prescribed in 49 CFR Part 40, and a DER’s responsibility in the drug and alcohol testing process. This course will give representatives of Consortia/Third Party Administrators (C/TPAs) the tools they need to provide such training to DERs and help ensure a fully compliant testing process. This program, which allows for DERs to become certified through DATIA, aims to ensure that DOT-mandated drug and alcohol testing is performed in a professional and consistent manner, maintaining confidentiality for the donor, and compliance with all applicable regulations. DATIA training already exists for collectors, C/TPAs, and MRO Assistants—this training provides standards and education for individuals making up the final link in the mandated drug testing chain.

Course Objective

The objective of the DER Compliance course is to provide instruction and resource material that enables the DER to: fully understand the role of the DER in the drug testing process; define issues that arise during the drug testing process and what action is required of DERs; learn more about the DER’s relationship with other players in the testing process, including C/TPAs, collectors, MROs, EAPs, laboratory personnel, and SAPs; ensure complete compliance with federal rules and regulations; and better serve the employees they work with by being knowledgeable about the entire mandated drug and alcohol testing process; learn the differences in testing procedures for each transportation mode; better define his/her role in assuring DOT and company policy compliance; provide services meeting standards of professionalism, accountability, and ethical behavior; and implement practical application of industry standards and procedures

Who Should Attend

This training course is intended for representatives of C/TPAs who will, in turn, provide training for their client DERs. Training materials are available from DATIA. After attending training hosted by a C/TPA, the DERs may take an exam administered by DATIA and become a Certified DER (C-DER). Training courses administered by DATIA involve upholding the highest professional standards in the drug and alcohol testing industry. DATIA’s training programs are developed by professionals within the industry and reviewed by committees of their peers for accuracy and relevancy. This new course for DERs establishes high standards in yet another crucial step of the drug testing process.

Once you have completed DATIA’s DER Compliance course, you may hold training courses for your client company DERs and other DERs in your area using materials provided by DATIA. Once they have completed a course with your professional instruction, the DERs may take an exam and become certified through DATIA.

Upon successful completion of the course, attendees receive .75 CEUs (7.5 contact hours) of continuing education credit. Attendees will be provided with a CEU certificate stating the course name, date, sponsoring organization (DATIA) and number of CEUs awarded.  These CEUs can be used by attendees for fulfilling continuing education requirements.