Drugs Testing in the Work Place

Should employers test their employees for drugs?

Yes. Employers have a right to	45.5%	[ 20 ]
No. It is an invasion of the employees privacy	54.5%	[ 24 ]
Total Votes:			[ 44 ]

[Uncommon Misconception]

Kaytbeg

I don't mind having to be tested for drugs. Now that I'm sober (three years!), I don't have anything to worry about. Not to mention that a lot of workplaces use machinery that you need to be in your right mind to use. I have trouble working with machinery when I haven't gotten enough sleep; if I were high, forget about it.

As for an invasion of personal privacy, considering that illegal drugs are, well, illegal, I say you give up your privacy when you decide to use. If the cops have a reason to search you and -do- find something on you, that's not an invasion of privacy, and you -will- get in trouble for it.

When you decide to do drugs, you're putting the well-being of yourself and others at risk, especially if you're doing a job requiring all your mental faculties or coordination. Even if you don't care about what you're doing to yourself, you're putting others in danger, and that's a liability for the company. They can't risk it, and in most places I've worked, you -will- be terminated as soon as the results come back positive. And I don't blame them. The safety of others is my top priority all the time.

I agree with this post 100%! drugs are illegal and if your stupid enough to use them then you should expect to get tested. When you are on drugs there is the possibility you could hurt someone or break something and an employer has the right to test you if he/she suspects you are using

[Gothic silk]

Silversan

Why do they only test for drugs? Is alcohol include? (Like drugs, being drunk can effect how a person works.)

but that is a teporery act that barly affects anything, with drugs you mite end up in a featal position on the job wanting more drugs so you cant work (oviously exsagerating)

[Bugtrot]

I find it insulting personally, that I, of clean record and no drugs whatsoever, need to be tested for drugs that have nothing to do with the job at hand. It is not the work place's place to screen for drugs.

I feel mortified and embarassed every time I have to waste 2 hours just to go in, grab a cup, then be treated like an inmate with a 2 minute time limit on how long I can take peeing while they lock up my purse and jacket.

It's simply ludicrous and it should NOT be done.

[Silversan]

link2822

Silversan

Why do they only test for drugs? Is alcohol include? (Like drugs, being drunk can effect how a person works.)

but that is a teporery act that barly affects anything, with drugs you mite end up in a featal position on the job wanting more drugs so you cant work (oviously exsagerating)

Not everyone who takes drugs becomes addicted.

[thee kayleee]

I dunno about you, but I wouldn't want some strung-out junkie with a doctorate performing any kind of operation on me. Would you? o.O

I mean, how many occupations are there where someone's drug use could directly affect the consumer?

Pilot, driver, doctor, surgeon, teacher, daycare employee...

If you're going to get a job in a field where you're being trusted with the care of other people or their kids, you should be willing to prove that you're competent.

And if anyone wants to argue that not everyone who takes drugs is a junkie, I'm going to agree. A lot of users are perfectly functional. But it's really hard to draw the line between what's okay and what's not when in most cases.

[WakaLakaFly]

I don't think it's your employer's business what you do on your own time. As long as you're getting your job done that should be enough for them, they aren't the law, I don't see why they need to know.

[WakaLakaFly]

Kaytbeg

I don't mind having to be tested for drugs. Now that I'm sober (three years!), I don't have anything to worry about. Not to mention that a lot of workplaces use machinery that you need to be in your right mind to use. I have trouble working with machinery when I haven't gotten enough sleep; if I were high, forget about it.

As for an invasion of personal privacy, considering that illegal drugs are, well, illegal, I say you give up your privacy when you decide to use. If the cops have a reason to search you and -do- find something on you, that's not an invasion of privacy, and you -will- get in trouble for it.

When you decide to do drugs, you're putting the well-being of yourself and others at risk, especially if you're doing a job requiring all your mental faculties or coordination. Even if you don't care about what you're doing to yourself, you're putting others in danger, and that's a liability for the company. They can't risk it, and in most places I've worked, you -will- be terminated as soon as the results come back positive. And I don't blame them. The safety of others is my top priority all the time.

And what if someone isn't high on the job, only on their own time? What then?

[Henbane]

A business has every right to test its employees. If you do drugs then find another job. You think it is right for people to be ******** up on drugs and work properly? No. An employer hires a doped up dog groomer. There is a good one. Hand them some scissors and see what kind of "Cut" they give the dog. Then explain to the owner why their dog is missing chunks of flesh.

[Henbane]

WakaLakaFly

Kaytbeg

I don't mind having to be tested for drugs. Now that I'm sober (three years!), I don't have anything to worry about. Not to mention that a lot of workplaces use machinery that you need to be in your right mind to use. I have trouble working with machinery when I haven't gotten enough sleep; if I were high, forget about it.

As for an invasion of personal privacy, considering that illegal drugs are, well, illegal, I say you give up your privacy when you decide to use. If the cops have a reason to search you and -do- find something on you, that's not an invasion of privacy, and you -will- get in trouble for it.

When you decide to do drugs, you're putting the well-being of yourself and others at risk, especially if you're doing a job requiring all your mental faculties or coordination. Even if you don't care about what you're doing to yourself, you're putting others in danger, and that's a liability for the company. They can't risk it, and in most places I've worked, you -will- be terminated as soon as the results come back positive. And I don't blame them. The safety of others is my top priority all the time.

And what if someone isn't high on the job, only on their own time? What then?

Ok, we will just take your word for it. You take your PCP on your own time. It wont bother us.

[Yume_Megami]

I guess it could be the employer's right, but that just sounds so...dictating.

The man in charge of giving you a job and the money 'n benifits which come along with it should/is able to watch over his employees to see that they are not doing anything illegal. My summer work does random drug tests, but this was mainly after an employee admitted to doing drugs and such.

[Casscow]

WakaLakaFly

I don't think it's your employer's business what you do on your own time. As long as you're getting your job done that should be enough for them, they aren't the law, I don't see why they need to know.

Whether you like it or not, you're hired based on how much your employer likes you. It's the same reason people don't like to hire people who have committed a crime in the past. it shows you have good judgment and are probably going to be a reliable worker. Why is it such a big deal anyway? So they want to know if you take drugs. If you do, just suck it up and don't take them for a little while and pass the test. It's that simple.

[Sextality]

Its fine, drugs effect performance and employers should know early if they got a person who is doing drugs that destroy there performance.

[ReiDuck]

earthxandra

Kaytbeg

I don't mind having to be tested for drugs. Now that I'm sober (three years!), I don't have anything to worry about. Not to mention that a lot of workplaces use machinery that you need to be in your right mind to use. I have trouble working with machinery when I haven't gotten enough sleep; if I were high, forget about it.

As for an invasion of personal privacy, considering that illegal drugs are, well, illegal, I say you give up your privacy when you decide to use. If the cops have a reason to search you and -do- find something on you, that's not an invasion of privacy, and you -will- get in trouble for it.

When you decide to do drugs, you're putting the well-being of yourself and others at risk, especially if you're doing a job requiring all your mental faculties or coordination. Even if you don't care about what you're doing to yourself, you're putting others in danger, and that's a liability for the company. They can't risk it, and in most places I've worked, you -will- be terminated as soon as the results come back positive. And I don't blame them. The safety of others is my top priority all the time.

I agree with this post 100%! drugs are illegal and if your stupid enough to use them then you should expect to get tested. When you are on drugs there is the possibility you could hurt someone or break something and an employer has the right to test you if he/she suspects you are using

Being on drugs at work is stupid and dangerous. However, if you're just smoking a bit of marijuana on weekends, and it is affecting your performance at work in no way, you'll still test positive.

[Elzibeta]

i dont see a need for marijuana testing but i dont think its a bad idea to test for other kind of drugs--drugs that can lead to a worker who will be unreliable, might turn to stealing from the company, and so on.

[Otterish]

I agree with drug testing, because the employers need to know if they can trust the person not to show up stoned or high. When I was hired at a parking garage in the rose quarter, I had to take a drug test. I didn’t mind at all, and saw a good reason for it after a while. We get so busy when the blazers play (I actually got to meet them!), and since we don’t take any cards, we end up with a lot of cash and the occasional check. I once took in 5,000.00 in one night. I was actually 10.00 short, but that was because my coworker stole money from me (I actually saw her do it, but she said that I was lying when I told the manager about it). When I was hired at McDonald’s, I never had a drug test, but when I was hired at Nextel, I had one. The only reasons why jobs do any drug testing is in the even where there is lots of money, exposure to sensitive information (with Nextel I worked with SSN's and credit card numbers), or when an employee is acting strangely.