Free two-minute assessment
Is your Designated Employer Representative ready?
Check your DER’s authority, availability, testing workflows, return-to-duty process, and records against common 49 CFR Part 40 responsibilities.
DER readiness check
Is your DER an employee of the employer?
A service agent or C/TPA generally cannot serve as the employer’s DER. The limited owner-operator exception is different.
This educational self-check is not a certification, audit, or legal opinion.
What the result measures
Operational readiness—not just a certificate
DOT defines who the DER is and what authority the person needs. It does not prescribe a specific DER course, examination, certificate, or hour count. This check focuses on whether the operational controls behind the role are in place.
Read the official DER definitionAuthority and internal ownership
Whether the DER is eligible to serve and can act immediately when the rules require removal or another employer decision.
Repeatable testing workflows
Whether test types, problem results, SAP referrals, and return-to-duty steps are documented instead of improvised.
Coverage and audit retrieval
Whether a trained person is reachable and the employer can retrieve complete, confidential program records.
DER readiness questions
Is this DER readiness check a certification?
No. It is a free educational self-assessment that identifies possible gaps in a DOT drug and alcohol program. It is not a certification, legal opinion, or DOT audit.
Does DOT require a specific DER training course?
DOT defines the DER role and its responsibilities in 49 CFR Part 40, but it does not prescribe a particular DER course, curriculum, examination, or number of training hours.
Who should take the DER readiness check?
The named Designated Employer Representative, backup DERs, and HR, safety, or compliance leaders who administer a DOT drug and alcohol testing program can use it to review their current process.
How long does the DER readiness check take?
The seven questions usually take about two minutes. The result includes a printable action plan with links to the relevant federal rules or DOT guidance.
Turn the action plan into a working program
Evergreen Comply DER training covers the decision trees, vendor coordination, test results, SAP process, and records behind the assessment.