Should Workplace Drug Testing of Employees Be Allowed

Should Workplace Drug Testing of Employees Be Allowed Addiction Drug Use Print Should Workplace Drug Testing Be Allowed? By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Updated on February 07, 2020 Kelvin Murray/Taxi/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Recent developments in medical technology have paved the way for workplace drug testing, to find out whether someone has recently used a drug. But should workplace drug testing of employees by their employers be allowed? Background While stereotypical drug users may be unemployed and homeless, with the inability to exert any self-control, the reality is that some of the most highly educated and respected occupations are at high risk of alcohol and drug use, including physicians, lawyers, and all manner of shift workers.?? It is becoming increasingly evident that substance users permeate all sectors of society. And the reasons for their drug use are complex, with drug use often being spurred on by unrealistic expectations by employers for workers to cope with extended stress and lengthy shifts. Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing So there are two opposing agendas at stake hereâ€"the health and safety agenda, ensuring that people in positions of responsibility are clean and sober, and the civil liberties agenda, emphasizing individual freedom, the right to privacy and protection from discrimination. Pros Workplace drug testing encourages greater responsibility among workers who may cause harm to themselves or others by working under the influence. Would be comfortable if the following professionals were working under the influence of alcohol or other drugs?The midwife delivering your babyThe pilot flying the plane youre onThe bus driver taking your child to schoolThe construction worker building your houseThe truck driver tailgating you on the highwayThe surgeon operating on you, your spouse, or your child Workplace drug testing can help identify employees in need of help with their substance use. Because people with addictions are often highly secretive and deceitful, drug testing circumvents the need for honest self-reporting, which is highly unreliable when people have a lot to lose; in this case, potentially, both their livelihood and their reputation. When proper informed consent procedures are followed, workplace drug testing acts as a deterrent to people who might otherwise experiment with, or regularly use alcohol or drugs.?? Workplace drug testing has the potential to greatly enhance health and safety in the workplace. Testing discourages people from abusing substances and thereby suffering any ill health effects and reducing the likelihood of accidents and injuries related to working under the influence.?? How Accurate Are Drug Tests? Cons Workplace drug testing is an invasion of peoples basic privacy. Taken out of context, and with all responsibility placed on the employee, drug testing at work also does not take into account the pressures that the work environment may place on employees. These pressures can include: Workplace hierarchies and bullying which drug testing could exacerbateInsufficient support for managing work-related stressLong shifts, particularly those requiring disruption to normal sleep cycles Drug testing at work could fail to take into account the mental health problems of people with addictions. Rather than being offered the appropriate treatment, people who test positive on drug tests are at risk of being fired without compensation and may be ineligible for welfare or other social assistance. This will create or compound a marginalized underclass of disenfranchised citizens who have even less incentive to quit their addiction. When a persons entire livelihood, reputation, and future rests on the outcome of a drug test, its imperative that test results are accurate. Employees need to be able to defend a positive test, which might be accounted for by other factors such as a pot-smoking roommate, a spiked drink, a poppy-seed bagel, or a prescription or over-the-counter medication. Workplace drug testing should be a justifiable course of action rather than a routine screen used to discriminate against alcohol or drug-using employees. Although employers may have value judgments about the use of alcohol and drugs, as long as they are not being consumed on the premises, employees are not coming to work under the influence, or alcohol or drug use is interfering with the completion of work, alcohol and drug use is part of the employees private life. Resolution There is no denying that workplace drug testing offers an objective and generally accurate way to establish the truth of someones drug use. In situations where the employee has a responsibility for the safety and/or welfare of others, and the employer has a responsibility to ensure the employees competence, there is a strong argument for workplace drug testing being carried out.?? 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 employees 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.Defending a positive test. 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.Getting help. Provision of  addiction counseling and/or rehab  should be offered in positive drug test cases.??Support. For example, in  transitioning to more suitable employment  if appropriate.Just ification. There should be  a 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. In conclusion, drug testing in the workplace should ideally be used to enhance the health and safety of employees and those receiving services.?? They should not be used to further marginalize drug users, by cutting off their access to employment or social welfare. People with positive results must be treated with dignity and respect, and be supported rather than shamed; this is the only way we will avoid the misuse of workplace drug testing to discriminate. That will further establish an underclass of poverty, homelessness, unemployment, criminality, and substance abuse among those found to have positive results. How Workplace Drug Testing Works