Drug testing for employers - Research Paper Example

Drug testing for employers Introduction Human beings have been using mood-changing substances from ancient times. In Greece and Cyprus, people used Opium for rituals during 200 B.C. Ancient Aztecs used Ololiuqui flower, which had psychoactive effects for treatment. During middle ages, Witches apparently scrubbed their bodies using hallucinogenic oilment for better results in their jobs. To historians, George Washington used hemp to treat his tooth and gum pains. In 1979, over 25 million people in America were on drugs, which led to President Reagan announcing war on them. The Reagan’s government introduced a strategy that attacked drug abuse from different vital angles. This strategy made war on drug successful because it included both law application and education programs on the drug impacts. Finally, there was introduction of Executive Order No. 12564, which was compulsory for all employees to renounce from drugs and all agencies to cultivate a work place free from drugs (Potter & Orfali 10). Today, drug testing is an increasing and acceptable way of regulating the negative impacts of drug abuse on different work places. Subsequently drug abuse declines the firms’ profitability subsequently increasing accidents that occur in work places. Therefore, employers should have permission to test their employees for drug use at the work place because drug-taking rate is increasing among employees. While conventional drug addicts may be jobless and not able to control themselves, the fact is that most of the very educated and cherished occupations are victims of drug use. It is evidently that drug users permeate every member of the society to use drugs and their reasons for using drug vary. To the employers, the main agenda to why they carry out drug test to their employees is for safety and health purposes. Therefore, employers are determined in ensuring that all employees are responsible, sober and clean (Potter & Orfali 13). Most of the employers carry out drug tests because drug abuse in working places leads to substantial health and safety threats, which can result to low production and lower employees’ morale to work. These threats have additional costs from health care claims, which involve short-term claims from disabilities. So, most employers carry out drug test in order to deter their employees from drug abuse and avoiding to hire drug addicts in their organizations. In addition, they drug test them to offer harmless working environment to their employees and abide by the state regulations (Straete 135) A firm may need a drug examination in various conditions. Firstly, it may be during the pre-employment test to avoid hiring drug addicts. These tests happen after a condition that, one has to pass drug examination before getting the job, so when the interviewee fails the test he/she loses the job. Secondly, firms conduct drug test due to reasonable suspicion from employees showing some drug use symptoms and after an accident to define if drugs were the main cause. Thirdly, a firm can do drug test randomly by not announcing or alerting the employees, this works as a deterrent. Lastly, the test can be periodic where by testing arrangements happen earlier before administering it to the employees. Drugs mostly show up in body fluids and sometimes through hair test. Drug testing at work place can be through different methods these include hair, urine, saliva and blood. During hair test, there is drug detection in the hair revealing the existence of drugs in the body but this method is not accurate. Secondly, drug test through blood analysis which is the most accurate but expensive method. Thirdly, drug test via saliva and sweat examinations, the test is accurate but not popular among work places. Finally, urine testing is less invasive compared to blood examination as it is the cheapest and detects the most recent single consumption of drugs, making it the most applicable drug testing method (Straete 133). Drug testing at the work place mostly has great interest in testing the presence of illegal drugs and alcohol in the human body. These drugs include amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, Opiates and Phencyclidine. Contrary, many other private employers can test on as many drugs as they want including those prescribed by physicians. Employers that apply drug-testing strategies in order to improve safety for workers and lower claims for compensation always complain about obstacles used to beat their tests. According to employers, employees use many products to cheat tests for drugs. In addition, these illegal products are frequently being common thus increasing problems for managers in stamping out calamities resulting from drugs. Some of these testing obstacles include, Companies that supply drug testing destabilization products, which affects drug testing effectiveness because they distract the results thus putting many challenges to employers (Fletcher 20). In addition, there are techniques, which flush the whole body from drugs, and sometimes these techniques trick the tests through loading on certain herbs, water or pills just before the test. Lastly, drug users use masking devices like adulterant products before screening to win drug tests. For example, in 2002 a certain nuclear power firm located in Perry discovered that numerous job seekers had used adulterant invention before screening (Fletcher 21). Drug testing at workplace inspires greater obligation among employees who are capable of hurting themselves and others by operating under the influence of drugs. Will anyone fill comfortable knowing that the surgeon to operate him/her is working under the influence of drugs? The train or bus driver he/she is travelling in is under drug influence. Therefore, employers’ drug testing at the workplace is important because it reduces accidents caused by employees who are under the influence. Drug testing helps employers in identifying employees who need help with drug use because drug addicts are secretive and dishonest but drug testing needs honest. Secondly, drug testing can bring positive result when appropriate and well-versed consent measures are in use because employers end up deterring people who were planning to experiment drugs. Thirdly, these tests at the work place reduces absenteeism and turnover rate since evidences shoe that dishonest drug addicts are capable of being dismissed or leaving a job. Fourthly, drug addicts are at a risk of performing poorly and leading to low production at work place. Drug testing causes some problems to the firms that conduct them. Comparison between companies that practice drug tests to those that do not shows that, companies, which undertake drug testing, are low by 20% in production. These are from the high prices that the testing procedure entails and the more hidden costs that are directly proportional to the testing process. These costs include the costs from those employees administering the test and those who are getting the test, confirmatory testing cost put on all positive samples. There are also costs for holding the Medical Review Officer for him/her progressing with the positive tests. Lastly, if employers fire the employees due to drug testing results, there are costs involved in the replacement and training of the new employees (Potter & Orfali 17). Secondly, the firm may suffer from low production because evidences show that drug testing at the work places is a discouragement to highly qualified personnel from applying for jobs. In fact, some employers are ending up dropping pre-employment screening because it obstructs them from recruiting qualified employees. Work testing also lowers the workers morale because they find them humiliating and uncomfortable especially when the results test positive. Finally, this testing can lower productivity because employees can shift to other impairing drugs like alcohol that the company does not test. Employers who guarantee effective implementation of drug testing practices in their establishments have an added advantage of planning and thinking ahead. They are also at a chance of involving their employees in coming up with the firms’ objectives because they are free from drugs. Finally, such firms have a high level of confidentiality in their practices because their employees support and have faith in them thus protecting the firm (Straete 137). Conclusion Drug testing has a vital role to play in the safety, health and other professions where the employees are in need of high standards of safety and integrity. In addition, drug testing helps the firms in the policing of employees private behaviors at work in order to increase productivity. Therefore, drug testing should be fare, inclusive and transparent because it can negatively distress an innocent employee. Finally, when this process goes on efficiently, the involved firm will benefit from high productivity, low rates of absentees and turn overs at work, improved safety and a dependable and accountable work force. Works cited Fletcher, Meg. “Drug-Test cheats Frustrates Employers Screening Efforts” Business Insurance 39.31. Master File Premier. 2005. Web. 2nd February 2012 Potter, Beverly. & Orfali, Sebastian. Drug Testing at work. A guide for employers. Washington DC: Ronin Publishing, 2007. Print Straete, Alain. Workplace Drug Testing. London: UK. Pharmaceutical Press, 2011. Print Read More