Social Security Act 2018

Obligations - Beneficiaries’ obligations - Specific obligations: work-test obligations

147: Obligation to undertake and pass drug test

You could also call this:

“You must take and pass a drug test when asked for work or training”

You need to take and pass a drug test by a certain date if you have certain work or training obligations. This applies when a possible employer or training provider asks for the test, and when the test is legal and follows the rules.

The drug test request is considered legal if it’s for a proper reason, like health and safety. It doesn’t matter if the employer or provider isn’t officially allowed to make you take the test under this law.

Unless someone can prove otherwise, we assume that any drug test request under this rule is legal.

This drug test requirement is part of your other work or training obligations. It’s not a separate rule on its own.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783388.

Topics:
Work and jobs > Worker rights
Health and wellbeing > Public health

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146: Work-test obligations as required by MSD, or

“MSD can ask you to do things to help you find a job”


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148: Compliant drug test defined, or

“What counts as a proper drug test according to the law”

Part 3 Obligations
Beneficiaries’ obligations: Specific obligations: work-test obligations

147Obligation to undertake and pass drug test

  1. A person to whom an obligation under section 144(a), 144(c), 146(1)(d)(ii), or 146(1)(d)(iv) applies must undertake and pass a drug test by a specified date if—

  2. a potential employer or training provider requests the drug test; and
    1. the drug test is lawfully requested and undertaken; and
      1. the drug test is a compliant drug test (see section 148).
        1. The obligation under subsection (1) to undertake and pass a drug test is included in, forms part of, and does not arise apart from, the obligation under section 144(a), 144(c), 146(1)(d)(ii), or 146(1)(d)(iv).

        2. A drug test is lawfully requested and undertaken if it is requested and undertaken for a lawful purpose (for example, for a lawful health or safety purpose), and it does not matter that the employer or provider requesting the drug test is not authorised or required by or under this Act to compel the person to undertake it.

        3. A drug test under this section is presumed to be lawfully requested and undertaken unless the contrary is proved.

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