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First since I am about to write a bunch of opinions laced with a few facts, I should state I work for one of the largest labs in the World and one or the biggest labs that does employee drug testing. Although substance and alcohol testing is not done at my site, I deal with questions all the time. BDJ worked there as well, but not in the labs.

Drug testing was started in the workplace because our government was awarding contracts to companies and then having to pay big time when some accident occurred. Since the government was paying a contractor a fixed amount, the contractor would save money (so to pocket more himself) by hiring cheap labor. The issue was that many of the accidents happened when some low level dude was drunk. So the government made a condition to bid on a contract was that all employees needed to have alcohol screening. This cut down on people being drunk at work while moving heavy machinery. Well if it worked with alcohol, it will work with all drugs.

In fact, it worked really well. So insurance companies started giving breaks to companies that had their employees tested. The larger the company the better the discount. There are studies, many put out by my work, that show that absenteeism and low productivity are reduced because of drug testing.

Most of these have studies that don't show any improvement. If there are studies on both sides, why do companies still do it? One reason, as I have stated earlier, is insurance costs. Another is why chance it? It is cheap to run the tests and it is better to be safe than sorry. If the tests were to cost more, companies would take a closer look if they were really needed, but at less than $20 for most screening test (some companies get 80% off list price) it is cheap and easy.

As far as habeas corpus goes, If you don't want to take a drug test then don't. Find another job. There are many companies that don't make their employees take the tests. However; while being an African American or being a women in the workplace gives you rights, there is no protection under the law for being a drugged American.

08-20-2008, 12:38 AM	#7
onlyalad whore Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: nowhere, ca Posts: 279/0.31 Threads: 34 Friends Network	Re: The Job - Urine Test First since I am about to write a bunch of opinions laced with a few facts, I should state I work for one of the largest labs in the World and one or the biggest labs that does employee drug testing. Although substance and alcohol testing is not done at my site, I deal with questions all the time. BDJ worked there as well, but not in the labs. Drug testing was started in the workplace because our government was awarding contracts to companies and then having to pay big time when some accident occurred. Since the government was paying a contractor a fixed amount, the contractor would save money (so to pocket more himself) by hiring cheap labor. The issue was that many of the accidents happened when some low level dude was drunk. So the government made a condition to bid on a contract was that all employees needed to have alcohol screening. This cut down on people being drunk at work while moving heavy machinery. Well if it worked with alcohol, it will work with all drugs. In fact, it worked really well. So insurance companies started giving breaks to companies that had their employees tested. The larger the company the better the discount. There are studies, many put out by my work, that show that absenteeism and low productivity are reduced because of drug testing. Most of these have studies that don't show any improvement. If there are studies on both sides, why do companies still do it? One reason, as I have stated earlier, is insurance costs. Another is why chance it? It is cheap to run the tests and it is better to be safe than sorry. If the tests were to cost more, companies would take a closer look if they were really needed, but at less than $20 for most screening test (some companies get 80% off list price) it is cheap and easy. As far as habeas corpus goes, If you don't want to take a drug test then don't. Find another job. There are many companies that don't make their employees take the tests. However; while being an African American or being a women in the workplace gives you rights, there is no protection under the law for being a drugged American.

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