Are You Seeing The Last of Employee Drug Testing?
One of the nightmares for a prospective employee would be to pass the drug test to settle in the job.
I have never had such nightmares; not because I never applied for a job but because I have never used drugs. I also have never been subjected to employee drug testing not because the company wasn’t keen but because I was keen not to be subjected to such tests. Well, I don’t use drugs, but that does not mean that I can let someone test me. Hire me if my skills are impressive but not because I lead a drug-free life is my stand. The good news for the likes of me and the opposite as well is that employee drug testing is ceasing to exist, at last.
Why Employee Drug Testing May Not Be The Perfect answer
Rejecting a candidate because of drug use cannot do much to improve the prospects of the company. The firm may be declining great talent for no logical reason; shareholders may lose interest in the company, which keeps rejecting candidates leaving a skeletal workforce to carry on with the job. Here are some reasons why employees should not go for drug testing their candidates.
No Drug-Induced Lower Performance
The popular reason given for drug testing prospective employees is that an employee who uses drugs may perform below the expected levels. While this may sound logical the truth is far from that. Side effects of the drug last for a maximum of 6 hours. So unless someone uses drugs before or while at work, there is no cause for alarm.
While using drugs may not influence one’s skills at work, working atmosphere and the level of support employees extend each other enhance work quality. Apart from these factors, what may affect job performance? Chronic illness, separation from spouse and emotional disturbances are some factors that may affect performance of employees.
Do Employers Also Test For …
If a drug can reduce job performance, so can a lot of others. Do employers also test for:
- Pregnancy
- Memory power
- Vision problems
- Hearing issues
The employers may also ask the prospective female candidate if she is in love and planning marriage after getting the job. If yes, there may be a possible pregnancy causing the employee to go on maternity leave affecting the job.
Just as a company looking to hire employees does not have the right to test for all the above-mentioned possibilities, the company does not have the right to subject their candidates to a drug test.
Right May Not Always Make Things Right
Ok, it is agreed that many states allow employers to drug test their candidates. However, just because an employer has the right to do drug test does not mean that it is right to test candidates thus. Just as the company has the right to test, a candidate has the right to decline to take the test. If all candidates refuse to give their samples for testing, the right the company has may not lead the company in the right direction.
Legal Or Illegal Is Not The Question
Using drugs according to the law may be illegal. However, drugs that are illegal now may not have been illegal in the past and may also become legal in future, which highlights the fact that most of the drugs have not always been branded as legal or illegal. That apart, what one does in private should not be the deciding factor, particularly when the person is otherwise very law-abiding.
A shift in the way society sees drug users need to change if society is for freedom for all and appreciates individual rights.
