Pre-employment drug testing

[Weizy]

hey all, since i am a new college grad and am going through the tedious process of going to interview after interview i thought i might inquire upon the topic of pre-employment drug testing...

i am admittedly an occasional pot smoker and have recently decided it may be wise for me to pass on grass until i actually have a job. has anyone else had to take a drug test to gain a salary with benefits job in recent years? i have found a lot of info online about some companies who do test their applicants and others who don't. are there any real ways to get around them? or is there a way to fool a test completely?

also, i can understand why corporations don't want crack addicts handling their accounts, but seriously does it really matter that i like to relax with a nice doobie of the chronic in the evening?

i think these tests are a serious infringement on my privacy rights

i belive that corporations should only be allowed to test if their is SUFFICIENT evidence that an employee has a problem. here in minnesota the laws say that you can only test if you test everyone so i am basically screwed because either way i am going to have to pee in a cup to gain employment. oh well!

any thoughts, opinions, or advice is greatly appreciated

[skahound]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

Interesting. Your application and resume just got handed to me today. It's now being put in File 13 pothead.

j/k

I think there was a topic about this earlier. It's definitely an invasion of privacy. I think there are professions that should employ testing (eg truck drivers, day care people, etc.) but the trouble comes in on how to regulate that I'd think.

[Steve Graham]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

i passed 3 drug tests in two months (long story, i got laid off.. blah blah blah). I smoked a week maybe less before all of them and just drank lots of water, caffiene (2 cups of coffee), and took b2 to put the colour back.

also a mate of mine took niacin the day before a DT and never failed.. and he has smoked the day before.

a lot of it depends on regularity of smoking and metabolism. people will say oh it stays there for 30 days.. only if you smoke it all day and have a slow metabolism.
now, if they take a hair sample.. thats a toughy

[jarble187]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

I work in a professional field...architecture. I graduated about 2 years ago and found my job soon after. I work for a small firm (5 people) and it is not in thier best intrest to drug test. I think this is common in small practices- for one, the employer does not want to pay for the test, and for two, they are not concerned about drug use (they way you look at your interview will tell them if they need to be concerned or not). However, large firms of 50 or more people could be a different story, where cost is not an issue and it is just a general practice policy. I didnt worry about cleaning out and havent had a problem or issue thankfully.

[Ariel Cybana]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

Yep I heard of the regimen of drinking lots of cranberry juice and taking b12's. I never took a drug test to get a job and I definately prefer to avoid those employers. Did work a temp job years back at a supermarket where they do drug testing and it costs 75 bucks per test. It was an accounts payable jobby so I got to know their bills.

I think it's a privacy violation as there are more people who have problems with LEGAL drugs (prescription pain killers, booze, etc). Court TV is showing a trial of two pilots who were busted on DUI while trying to fly a commercial jet.

[esef]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

unless your dsperate for a job, i would respectfully decilne.

even if you're clean, it of no business of your company what you do in your private life. and quitefrankly, this is all just a big scam to collect the DNA of every person in america.

[Weizy]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

i totally understand why certain professions require drug tests, but i have heard some ridiculous situations like FedEx drug tests its package handlers, wtf?

i worked at UPS for a long while and they could give a shit less what altered state you were in at work

[Localizer]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

They'll probably just initially drug test you....Most companies don't care thereafter unless the industry has very strict standards. ie: aviation.

[picklemonkey]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

I used to think it was a big invasion in privacy... but that was when I smoked. now that I've been clean for a few years it hasn't really bothered me. I don't think it's an invasion of privacy, because they don't do it unless you consent to it.

it's just part of being an adult imo--if you want a good job, either don't smoke or cover it up without complaining. if you want to smoke, get a job at mcdonalds. either way, you're in control of the situation.

[neoee]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

I think the testing is likely related to their insurers. If you were insuring a company wouldn't you want your insured to have drug free workers? I'm sure there are incentives, like lower premiums involved.

[beto]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

I'd be a bit more interested in not having employees that show up some thursday morning with an assault rifle an shot everyone to pieces than having a toker... but that's just me.

[rewing3]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

Really depends on what kind of drug screen test you get. When I got my job now I had to go through one. But it was just bascially piss in a cup kinda thing. But I have heard of some companies using hair samples which basically means your screwed either way. So my bust advance to you is stop smoking grass for about a month or two then hope your clean. Oh and drink lots of water.

[thesightless]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

1. any big firm will test you, it is usually in thier insurance contracts if they hold a group term policy.

2. i asked for drug tests for all of our new employees.

reasons
1. i dont want crackheads or meth heads working for me. i demand and need those people at the top of thier games.
2. if an employee gets past the initial drug test, and then it turns out that , say, they are really a non stop coke feind, you legally cannot fire them, you have to pay out of your companies insurance policy for thier treatment, and you lose out b/c you need to keep them around, wasting your money and productivity.

one rule when you work for or with me---- i love money, and dont fuck with mine. that's the one thing i wont stand for.

[skahound]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

one rule when you work for or with me---- i love money, and dont fuck with mine. that's the one thing i wont stand for.

No! Not you!

[beto]

Re: Pre-employment drug testing

A friend of mine started working pumping gas at an Esso gas station, and had to go through a urine drug test. I'ts a minimum wage job... I guess it's alright to pollute the whole world, wage wars for oil control, take down governments and bribe the rest.

But you can't smoke a fatty with your girl on a tuesday night. Nope. That's wrong. You need some help, boy.