Help with paying for the recompliance drug test
When a client or partner has failed their drug test obligations the second time, they must agree that they will take and pass a drug test within 25 days of agreeing to do so.
Work and Income can help the client meet the full costs of taking the drug test if they cannot meet the cost of the drug test upfront.
In this case Work and Income will arrange to cover the cost of the drug test with the provider and then recover the cost from the client by way of debt repayment.
In order for Work and Income to help meet the costs of taking the drug test, the client or partner must agree:
- to take and pass a drug test within 25 working days
- to contact drug test provider and arrange and then take the drug test; and
- to provide the results to Work and Income
Work and Income will provide the client or partner with names and contact details for drug test providers in the local area.
A client or partner can only apply once during the 25 working day period for help with the costs of the recompliance drug test upfront which is then recovered from them. The 25 working days start from the day after the client or partner agrees to recomply.
Note that Work and Income has an additional 5 working days to receive the results from the client or partner and to process the information.
Client or partner pays for drug test upfront themselves
A client or partner can pay for the recompliance test themselves, if they choose to do this, they must:
- take a clean drug test within 25 working days
- arrange with a drug test provider to take the drug test and
- ensure that they provide Work and Income with the drug test results
Debt recovery and reimbursement to the drug test provider
Work and Income will arrange with the drug test provider to cover the cost of the drug test.
Once the cost of the drug test is reimbursed to the drug test provider it must be established as a debt to the client or partner. The amount of the debt is the same amount that has been repaid to the drug test provider.
The recovery rate should be at the appropriate level giving consideration to any other debts the client or partner may have. Debt repayment options must be discussed with the client or partner at the earliest opportunity.
This upfront assistance is only available for one recompliance drug test to be undertaken during the 25 working day period. The cost of further tests undertaken within that period will have to be met upfront by the client.
