Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs Using Urine (UrMG)
Key claim: HHS is proposing to update the mandatory rules federal agencies must follow when they collect and test employees’ urine for drugs.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Health and Human Services Department) The Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS” or “Department”) is proposing to revise the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Urine (UrMG), published in the Federal Register on October 12, 2023).
Why this matters
The HHS Mandatory Guidelines set the technical and procedural floor for how federal agencies (and, by incorporation, DOT-regulated industries) collect and analyze urine specimens for drug testing. Even a procedural revision can change collection protocols, laboratory requirements, cutoff concentrations, or review procedures that affect millions of federal employees and safety-sensitive workers. As a proposed rule, it is not yet in effect and is open to public comment before any changes take force.