Is there an increase in companies doing drug screens?

[Wcross]

My company just informed us that we will have to take a yearly hair test in order to keep our jobs. If we fail the test we will be given the option of enrolling in the "employee assistance program" and be subject to random screenings for six years if we stay with the company.
The policy used to be that if you were injured on the job they would have you test. If there was reasonable suspicion they could test you. Now it seems they have turned the table over and decided that everyone has to prove themselves every year.
The majority of the employee's do not operate anything that moves. Some people only operate the coffee maker and a computer! I really feel that the company has made a large step over the line.

In researching the legality of what they are doing I have found similar tales of companies making a new "push" to test all their employees regardless of what type of job they hold. I am curious if this is a new thing or not?

[RufusEarl]

1. I've been retired for a few years now,

but hair testing wasn't happening while i was in the work force. One thing about hair test, if i understand it correctly is that they can tell everything you've ever done.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. I had to take a drug test for my last job. I personally think they

are a real violation of my personal rights. And I doubt that I will ever undergo that again - unless I'm just so desperate I don't have a choice. It was really awful because we were supposed to be taking a urine test and had to wait for hours to get in - had to just sit there and hope you didn't accidental pee on the floor because you had to go so bad.

I think a hair test is even worse - just because it is such an invasion of privacy.

[NewJeffCT]

3. I heard from a woman in HR last year

That a lot of companies were stepping up their drug screening of new hires. She did not say anything about random testing after being hired, though.

I had never had to take one until last year for a new job, and I'm almost 40 now. Of course, I was at my first "professional" job from 1988-2001 in the same large company, and missed all of 5 days in that time due to illness, and two were actually to help care for my sick now ex-wife. So, they probably never felt the need to test me.

[leftyladyfrommo]

4. I Would Feel Better if They Screened for Guns or a right-wing philosophy

I've never felt threatened by a pot smoker in my life.

[Wcross]

11. Another new policy- random vehicle searches.

Oh, they have a sign up saying they have the right to search vehicles for guns and contraband. I really don't feel too comfortable with this either. Lets say a woman was being stalked by an ex and she feels threatened enough to feel the need to be armed? Of course she shouldn't be allowed to carry IN the plant but what about on her way home and when she arrives home? We quit at 6pm so she will be arriving home after dark.

[meganmonkey]

5. HAIR test?

Jeeeeezus!

That's hard core. I don't know of anyone that does hair tests. I have heard that Blockbuster does them but I don't know that for sure.

Motherfucking police state. :(

[Wcross]

7. Thats what I thought when they told me!

I am looking for another job as we speak. Its too bad that they don't feel they can trust me after 15 years of problem free service. Until I DO find suitable employment I am striving to be the most marginal employee in the plant. No more putting ANY extra effort into my job. I don't care about it anymore.
If they want to run it like a police state I will have to act like an inmate rather than a team-mate.

[meganmonkey]

22. I'm glad you are looking for

a new job. That was my first instinct, but with the job market the way it is I didn't want to post it "Hey man, just get a new job!". I know people get really sensitive about being trapped in jobs at a shitty company (like mistermonkey is :( ). It is so hard to find decent work.

I wish you luck!

[etherealtruth]

6. What type of work do you do?

I had to take a drug test prior to hire and the company has random urine testing ... Parts of the job are "high risk" activities (driving, using sensitive "chemicals" and equipment, entering dangerous job sites ... ) but we sure as heck don't go as far as hair analysis.

[Wcross]

9. Manufacturing.

It started out as a "Mobile equipment operator" requirement- anyone who drives tow motors in the plant. The Union complained and they decided to add supervisors and certain other staff people. After they complained they said everyone at the plant. Of course nobody at the corporate office faces this requirement- it might interfere with their Friday afternoon smoke out parties I guess.......

[etherealtruth]

12. Wow

My understanding is that my company has "suspended" their random urine testing because they didn't know what to do with all the positive test results. When the company did test randomly ... it was truly random, administrative personnel, scientists, engineers and Field technicians were all in the "drawing."

[Subdivisions]

18. You bring up an interesting point regarding all the positive

test results. I'm a union member for a specific construction trade and about 65% of all of my local brothers smoke weed. Not only that, my personal take on the population in general is that probably about the same percentage does one kind of drug or another, but mostly weed.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

8. No drug test

but I had to sign a statement promising that I wouldn't use illegal drugs. It was essentially extortion, because if I had refused to sign it, I would have lost my job.

[bleedingheart]

10. Funny...no alcohol screenings??? Alcoholism is a far bigger problem

ever see how sales people and executives drink?

[Wcross]

14. Corporate is excempt from any testing other than pre-hire.

Thats another thing that pisses me off. They make the rules and excempt themselves. They rent cars with corporate credit cards so they do operate motorized vehicles on the clock. They have company cars. They run the business, if I have to remain sober 24/7 to do what I do I would think it important they stay sober as well.

[bleedingheart]

20. oh I agree with you

[wicket]

19. I was thinking the same thing!

n/t

[Rex]

13. Everyone and their dog tests around here.

And everyone and their dog does illicit drugs around here, so I have no idea how anyone has a job. Expect more companies to sign on with our fascist Leader in office and make life a lot harder on the working class.

[Subdivisions]

15. Bogus dude. Those hair tests are brutal, brah. No way to

hide the THC from your hair follicles. At least with urine, you can sneak in a clean sample tucked up next to your balls.

Keep looking for another job, yo, and at the end of the day, fire one up and relax as you always have. If your marginal disposition at work continues, maybe they will find it convenient to relieve you of their oppression and you can at least collect unemployment while seeking other work.

[MercutioATC]

16. Air Traffic Controller...random drug AND alcohol screenings.

...and a pre-employment drug test.

[SmokingJacket]

17. I would never take one.

Unless I had a job in which people's lives were in my hands, which I don't, it's no one's freaking business.

I've never taken an illegal drug in my life, but it's the principle of the thing.

[IA_Seth]

21. A doc told my buddy in Vegas...

A friend of mine recently moved to Vegas, and when he realized that a good majority of the jobs he was applying for would require a HAIR test he was freakin out. He had cleaned out his system, planned on not smoking anymore, but knew it would still be positive with a hair sample.

So he went to the doc and asked them about and was told that if ALL of your body hair is less than one inch long they won't be able to test and will go with a urine analysis.

Not sure if that was just the doc's personal procedures or if that is overall, but my buddy is now mr smoothie and has a job so I dunno.

Either way its BS...