31–40 of 58 posts
Many professional jobs don't require drug tests. So is it really about finding the "best workers"? Could you imagine if software companies rejected people for marijuana use?
If you want a contract, loan, tax benefit or anything else explicit from the federal government or any contractor of the federal government - you have to institute drug screening policies, which are audited. edit: The implication I am making is that this is literally the only (IMO) good reason to have such a policy.
This perversion is degrading, humiliating, and completely unnecessary.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yet many federal employees aren't tested. I spent five years as a DoD employee with secret security clearance and never had to take a drug test.
You did an SF-86 and went through the whole OPM background check process for Secret and weren't drug tested? Seriously?
Likewise, limited use of criminal background checks may be a good idea for certain jobs (a bank robber shouldn't be allowed to work in a bank).
But the idea that these should be general conditions of employment across all industries is a problematic one. It creates an underclass of unemployable people, forcing them to become a drain on society when they could be productively employed (or encouraging them to become productively employed in gray/black market activities).
Why would an employer want to drug test employees? Do some still believe there is some kind of correlation between (prescription or self-medicated) drug use? From the article: > In Colorado, “to find a roofer or a painter that can pass a drug test is unheard-of,” Sure, it makes some sense for a few, select jobs like truck driving. But why would you care what your roofer or painter did last night, as long as the job g…
You care because you don't want to deal with workplace injuries and druggies stealing your stuff. Roofers are high turnover, low/moderate skill folks. If the business model requires reliable guys, you may consider it.
No smokers, too. Nicotine withdrawal is hell.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
'Several days' doesn't sound like enough for a lot of drugs. Aside from quoting employers complaining about not being able to find employees, I wish the NYT had covered some more on the topic of, does drug testing even meaningfully help with finding better employees? Yes, it may be mandated or legally required of employers in a few cases, but that's far from universal; so are the rest doing it because it works, or be…
"Several days" is typically plenty of time for almost all drugs except for marijuana, due to their half-lives. Those who regularly use larger amounts of drugs may need an extra day or two to pass but a week, for instance, should be more than enough for most people's levels to be below the thresholds that are tested against.
So enough for an unknown number of drugs and oh yeah - the most popular drug in the country after caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does the racial make up of NBA rosters make the NBA a racist organization?
Does the racial make up of your average tech company make them racist organizations?
Drug testing is absolutely a good idea for jobs where worker impairment presents an imminent physical danger to lives and property (e.g. trucking, medical professions, powerline repair crews). Likewise, limited use of criminal background checks may be a good idea for certain jobs (a bank robber shouldn't be allowed to work in a bank). But the idea that these should be general conditions of employment across all indus…
I've known a few Xanax addicts and meth heads. They're not exactly what I would call employable.
Drug testing is absolutely a good idea for jobs where worker impairment presents an imminent physical danger to lives and property (e.g. trucking, medical professions, powerline repair crews). Likewise, limited use of criminal background checks may be a good idea for certain jobs (a bank robber shouldn't be allowed to work in a bank). But the idea that these should be general conditions of employment across all indus…
At the same time, passing a drug test doesn't mean you won't be intoxicated on the job. They don't test everyday, and lots of drugs (alcohol, cocaine, etc) get out of your system very quickly.
I understand the desire (you don't want someone on drugs at work), but drug testing doesn't do a very good job of getting you that.