Should employee drug tests be mandatory?

[Takka 13,377]

Increasingly more employers demand drug tests of their employees on a regular basis and/or even before considering them for a job. Many argue this is an invasion of privacy, while the counter argument is often "If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about." Most would agree it should be required in sensitive positions where lives or general well being of an individual/group may be at risk, however should it be enforced everywhere?

If you happen to support mandatory drug testing, how/where do you feel it be done and should warnings be given in advance?

[Floofies 2,470]

I personally feel that if misconduct is seen, then action is to be taken. A popular argument for DUI laws is that if you past the "walk test", then you're fine. However, the law says if you're above a certain alcohol level, regardless of impairment, you go to jail for DUI. When it comes to illegal drugs, they really only care about whether or not you're doing it at all, and thus there's a heightened panic when it comes to drugs in the workplace, completely ignoring legal drugs. I think employers need to focus much more on problems in the workplace, rather than problems in someone's bloodstream/urine.

Bottom line is: If I work for you and I do a good job, what business do you have getting samples of my blood/urine and spying on what's in it? If any problems do occur in relation to drugs, then you should fire the person immediately, but having random tests for a problem that doesn't exist is very nosy.

Why should I alienate myself for your peace of mind? Why is it acceptable for an employer to have no boundaries knowing everything about their employees, and yet the employees know nothing about their employer? The fair trade of work/money doesn't entitle either party to do anything like this.

[Solaris 3,581]

I think it's especially important to have both finance background checks and drug tests for jobs dealing with sensitive information. Think of it this way. You are in the shit with a dealer or badly in debt. You also handle sensitive and valuable data that other people would find valuable and might even clear you of your debts. What would you do? It's happened before.

Edited May 14, 2013 by ClassANetwork
reword

[Kvasir 1,482]

If it is forced, warning should absolutely be at least slightly in advance. You don't have to tell them a specific day, but honestly loads of people do drugs now and a lot of them would stop their x habit for certain positions, were they informed they had to.

Other than that, I absolutely think it shouldn't be something done everywhere. In my opinion, if you're tested for drugs it should only ever be a test that can prove "Hey, he's fucked up on the job." Anything other than that is going into territory that is my personal life outside of work, and quite frankly none of their business (including the government, fite da man).

You could argue that they are checking to see if I am doing something against the law, but in all reality it seems that is not what they're aiming for, and additionally, do they check to see if I have torrented music? Do they check to see if I jaywalk? Do they check to see if I have a beer while I'm underage? Do they check to see if I am an alcoholic?

Another point is that this almost entirely hurts marijuana smokers the most, considering it's extremely long life in the body. I can trip off my fucking rocker on LSD or get coked out and even go on a heroin binge and it all goes away much faster than THC, so much faster that you're probably safe doing it even if you do get randomly tested.

I shouldn't have to tell you that those are some of the more "serious" drugs and that who you're really hurting with these extremely limited tests (most do not check for anything other than stimulants/opiates and THC afaik) combined with the the very short half-lives of almost every serious drug (or even not so serious, like adderall) are the people who just like to smoke a bowl every now and then, or did a month ago.

edit: also I do believe testing is fine (although I would like to see THC removed) for higher profile jobs, like finance as itails said, or government jobs etc. I shouldn't have to take one to work at like a fucking mcdonalds or something, considering everyone there is stoned constantly.

[Sceny 3,138]

In my opinion, drugs tests should be mandatory in jobs where you're dealing with valuable goods or you're applying for a job that you publicly represent a company. I don't think you should be penalized for using drugs (recreational use) as long as it doesn't affect your performance with that job. I feel that drug users should be honest and open about their drug usage when applying for jobs that require a drugs test.

[WaeV 5,049]

Testing would be less of a big deal if we had saner drug laws in general.

[Kru 1,102]

pretty much what everyone else said, drug testing for minimum wage jobs is just fucking stupid.

[Takka 13,377]

As previously mentioned, if our current drug laws were more realistic then I would certainly be for random testing in most if not all work environments. I'm not very opposed to it in it's current form either however, as long as a warning is given before you've accepted the job.

[Kru 1,102]

what i do in my free should be of no concern of my employer. if they suspect that someone is fucked up on the job, then sure, they should have the right to drug test. drug testing on entry though, is just annoying.

[WaeV 5,049]

It's not about what you do with yourself in your spare time, it's about how you harm other people.

Remember, we banned weed because it makes black men want to rape white women! o___O