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from: EmploymentPulse.comEmployment Drug Screening: Privacy Invasion or Disciplinary Action?
Practically, companies are subjecting each employee to regular employment drug screening to ensure that there will be no drug usage among in the work place. According to experts, an employee who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be ten times more irresponsible with his work, thirty three percent less productive, and three times costlier to healthcare services. Indeed, when employees undergo employment drug screening on a regular basis, the workplace will remain peaceful and on the right track.
Substance abuse can really affect the performance of an employee; hence, every employer has the right to direct the need to discipline the workers or employees considering that his investments are at stake once human errors are brought in his company. Some of the most common drug examinations that employees undergo are the urine testing and the hair testing. With the urine drug screening, sample urine is analyzed using a test card or a gas chromatography. On the other hand, the hair drug testing works whenever traces of drugs are settling in some body systems.
In case you are an employer and you want to examine the applicants, you should do so once an offer is provided. This is applicable to companies employing over fifteen employees. Prior to the employment drug screening, the examinee (employee) has the right and responsibility to inform the examiner if he is undergoing certain medication to avoid confusion with the results.
There are some individuals, especially the wise employees, are appealing to their privacy. Hence, careful procedures mandated by state laws are provided for balancing the employees' right to privacy and the employers' right to sustain their drug- free workplace. In such manner, the employment drug screening will never be a question of confidentiality.
In some states, employment drug screening is sanctioned in the workplace to respect an employee's privacy. Employers are required to ask first his employee to undergo drug tests considering valid grounds.
The employment drug screening is however necessary for those working for public safety. Apparently, this does not call for any argument since the employers clearly have the right to render policies towards the security officers' capability to do their job.
Be it required or not, employment drug screening is no big deal to your privacy unless you are guilty. However, it is still everybody's right to claim for privacy, ONLY when necessary. If this is one way of disciplining employees, then the employers are having good points in promoting a holistic approach for everybody in the office. Anyhow, employers and employees are working towards a common goal, which is protecting the company's investments. Hence, if the screening becomes part of the policies, then be it.
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