Ronald+Eury

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-many US employers are not required to test -many state and local governments have statues that limit or prohibit testing -drug testing is not required under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 -most private employers have the right to test -familiarlize yourself with state and federal regulations -federal agencies must fllow procedures established by SAMHSA -SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration -private employers not required to follow SAMHSA -current law premits non-union companies to require applicants and/or employees to take drug tests -in unionized workforces, the implementation of testing programs must be negotiated -even when testing is required by federal regulations, certain aspects of how the policy is implemetned must be agreed upon through collective bargaining

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-increases safety -increases employee confidence -might make an employee go to rehab -reduces accidents in the work place -and employee using drugs in 3.6 times more likely to be involved in an accident -drug testing may be expensive -urine test may be less expensive -possible privacy invasion -employees are less receptive to random drug testing without probable cause -violates an individual's constitutional right

[|http://www.nku.edu]

I don't agree with drug testing in the workplace because what people do in their leisure time is their business, and if it doesn't effect the way they work, why should we care? -Michael Miller

I think there should be drug testing at a workplace because people should know what they are doing when they come to work and not be drugged up. Their actions might hurt the company. I also think there shouldn't be because what people do in their free time is up to them. We shouldn't say what people can or cannot do. -Miranda Marshall

-some employers consider it to be ethical -employee production is lower when drug testing is not implemented -drug testing can benefit employees because you can get aid -unfair and discriminating practice -unnessary for emploters to froce worker to take drug tests -unconstitutional

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The surgeon operating on you, your parent or your child? The bus or train driver, driving your child to school? The truck driver tailgating you on the highway? The airline pilot in control of your flight? The person building your house? The midwife delivering your baby?

However, if workplace drug testing is to be carried out, there are some basic ethical principles that need to be in place to avoid violation of the rights of the employee. These include, but are not limited to:
 * **Informed consent** The employee needs to know, ideally prior to taking the job, that abstinence is an expectation, and the workplace drug testing is planned.
 * **Confidentiality** The employee's privacy must be respected, including whether workplace drug testing has taken place as well as the result and consequences.
 * **Reasonable expectations** Employees' ability to cope with stressful work experiences, such as exposure to traumatic or stressful events, such as caring for sick and dying people, large numbers of difficult clients, extended screen time, and excessively lengthy or changeable shifts, should be assessed.
 * **Repeat tests** should be conducted when a workplace drug test is positive, and employees should be given the opportunity to explain a positive drug test result.
 * Provision of **addiction counseling and/or rehab** should be offered in positive drug test cases.
 * Support in **transitioning to more suitable employment** if appropriate.
 * There should be clear **justification** of the relevance of workplace drug testing to the situation -- it is a different issue entirely for an employer to test an employee when their drug use has no relevance to their job or responsibilities.

-encourages greater responsibility amoung workers -helps verify employees in need of help -potential to greatly enhance health -reduces the likelyhood of accidents and injuries -workplace testing does not take into account the pressures that the work environment may place on employees -invasion of privacy -the risk of being fired without compensation -potential for abuse -test could be accounted for by other factors such as a pot smoking roommate, a spiked drink, a poppy-seeded bagel, or a prescription -justifiable course of action to discriminate against drug-using employees -alcohol and drug use is part of the employees private life

-many US employers are not required to test -many state and local governments ahve statues that limit or prohibit testing -drug testing is not required under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 -most private employers have the right to test -familiarlize yourself with state and federal regulations -Federal agencies must follow procedures established by SAMHSA -SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration -private employers not required to follow SAMHSA -current law premits non-union companies to require applicants and/or employers to take drug tests -in unionized workforces, the implementation of testing programs must be negotiated -even when testing is required by Federal regulations, certain aspects of how the policy is implemented must be agreed upon through collective bargaining

[] -drug testing cutoff levels are the minimum concentrations of drugs or metabolites -how much of a drug labs can detect depends on drug detection times, frequency of use, type of specimen, drug testing method, metabolism, and other factors -conduct one or more intial screens followd by confirmatory tests -if you test below the drug cutoff levels on the initial screens, the lab cannot report it as positive or continue with thte confirmatory tests -if you test above on initial screens, but below on the confirmatory tests, the lab still cannot report as positive -commonly-abused drugs: amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine -if you've never used a drug but somehow get some into your system, you'll come in at only about 5 ng/ml -cutoff level for marijuana: 50 ng/ml -test only for illegal drug use -if your royally screwing up on the job because of medication, you might have to take medical or disability leave