Blair County eliminates drug testing requirement for courthouse volunteers

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Volunteers at the Blair County Courthouse will no longer be required to submit to drug testing.

The Blair County Commissioners retroactively approved the revision to their volunteer policy at their regular meeting Thursday. They said the change will alleviate the financial burden volunteers could face as the cost of previously required drug testing and background checks was around $50.

There was no discussion about the county taking on the expense in their own budget but said that the drug testing requirement should be eliminated as many of their volunteers have “ethics.”

“Part of it is that these are folks who have special training and as a result they have the knowledge. They know how they’re supposed to behave,” Commissioner Amy Webster said. “Most have some sort of a professional certification that has an ethics aspect to it that that they are aware that in that volunteer position or even their work position, or however they have gained this specialized knowledge, of how they should behave and that they should make sure they’re not impaired.”

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Webster said that the commissioners will not be changing the policy for employees in any position regardless of the employee’s professional certifications.

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