The work place is not meant to be boring. For most working is a way to provide for themselves and their families. Drug testing for employees will solve many problems that not only occur at work but as well as in society. Drug testing is only performed on about 1/3 of all applicants in America. The effect of substance abuse in the work place is a large problem employers face when issues arise with new employees or veteran employees. Although there are many factors and limitations that employers must consider and inform their employees of, the bottom line comes down to finding the best workers to produce a good service or quality product. Completing this task is much more enjoyable for coworkers and (higher up officials) when a worker is able to so, without the influence of a substance effecting their productivity and personality. The effects of any type of substance on the human body will affect it in some manner. Since work is a vital part of most American lifestyles; The issue of a drug or substance related incident is something that many are not willing to take th...
Employers may want to consider combating the stigma which haunts its addicted workers with a resourceful drug rehabilitation education system to both its addicted and non-addicted employees including the scientific facts surrounding addiction and dependence. This education may develop a positive perception of management, trust and introduce an efficient employee assistance program for all those in need to utilize.
The ethics of drug testing has become an increased concern for many companies in the recent years. More companies are beginning to use it and more people are starting more to have problems with it. The tests are now more than ever seen as a way to stop the problems of drug abuse in the workplace. This brings up a very large question. Is drug testing an ethical way to decide employee drug use? It is also very hard to decide if the test is an invasion of employee privacy. “The ethical status of workplace drug testing can be expressed as a question of competing interests, between the employer’s right to use testing to reduce drug related harms and maximize profits, over against the employee’s right to privacy, particularly with regard to drug use which occurs outside the workplace.” (Cranford 2) The rights of the employee have to be considered. The Supreme Court case, Griswold vs. Connecticut outlines the idea that every person is entitled to a privacy zone. However this definition covers privacy and protection from government. To work productively especially when the work may be physical it is nearly impossible to keep one’s privacy. The relationship between employer and employee is based on a contract. The employee provides work for the employer and in return he is paid. If the employee cannot provide services because of problems such as drug abuse, then he is violating the contract. Employers have the right to know many things about their employees.
...ult, and some times it does not give a result at all. It is unfair because it only targets certain workers; mainly low wage employees. It is unjust because people are automatically accused of using drugs, and that is why the drug test is given. Drug testing should not be abolished, but it should be a more controlled issue since it is something everyone in the US must go through.
There is no clear evidence that drug testing at work has a significant deterrent effect. Drug testing is not a measure of current intoxication and will reveal information about drug use that can have no impact on safety, productivity or performance. Drug testing is designed to detect and punish conduct that is usually engaged in off-duty and off the employer's premises - that is, in private. Employers who conduct random drug tests on workers who are not suspected of using drugs are policing private behavior that has no impact on job performance. Someone may test positive after taking a drug days, weeks or months before. People not generally required to organize their lives to maximize their productivity at work...
In 1995, President Bill Clinton directed a universal pre-trail drug testing policy be implemental. Many feel this forced drug testing is an important addition to our criminal Justice System. On the other hand, there are those who feel that our privacy and confidentiality are being violated, that’s to include our Constitutional rights. Pretrial drug testing is based upon assumption, when we discuss assumptions, they can be defined better as well calculated guesses. The first viewpoint is the knowledge of the defendants drug use at the time of arrest. From this point, depending on the results of the drug test it may indicate possible misconduct at pretrial. The second aspect of the policy is that the monitoring which is used during the pretrial can be used with sanctions which will hopefully deter pretrial misconduct (Rhodes, 1996).
Legal Challenges. When discussing the use of drug testing at the work place for pre-employment screening or on the job testing, we must consider the legal and ethical implications. Those who are in favor of drug testing claim that the testing itself acts as a deterrent in the use of illegal drugs and will also detect the use of illegal drugs which could impair employees resulting in injuries, accidents, lost productivity and ultimately liability concerns. Those in favor also refer to federal laws such as the Controlled Substances Act and take a zero tolerance approach to their employment policy. On the other hand those who argue against drug testing claim ethical violations of privacy and in some cases seek protection under state and federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, not always successfully. In the case of Raytheon v. Hernandez, the employee sought protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act which “prohibits discrimination against individuals with a drug addiction, although it permits an employer to act against an employer because of current drug abuse” (Witlin 2004). There is also a trend in the United States for the decriminalization of marijuana for personal and/or medical use which creates conflicts for employers. Employers have the responsibility to interpret both federal and state laws when determining their stance and policies when it comes to drug testing at the work place.
Many people view drug testing in schools as a good aspect of our school systems. Schools require random drug testing for students in sports. These rates show that random drug testing lower illegal substance use. A pro for random drug testing, can be that it helps regulate the use of drugs in our teenagers. If a teenager happens to test positive, the school and parents can take immediate action to stop the problem before it progresses. They can refer the student to a counselor or if needed to a rehab center. If students know they can be randomly tested, they can see this as a sign to get help. Drug testing can make schools safer and also lower the rates of drug use in schools.
Some high schools require athletes to submit to random chemical testing for illegal drug use. On the other hand, other schools and coaches believe that random drug testing is stating that all athletes are guilty of wrongdoing instead of believing they are innocent. There can be advantages and disadvantages to both sides, although random chemical testing for illegal drug use is the smartest idea. Having random drug tests is used for precautions, influences some to not do drugs if they are considering it, and encourages students to be their best.
Drug use now in days has grown more over these past years, with the abuse of drugs many people still have the privilege to apply freely to the welfare programs such as WIC, Food Stamps, and TANF. My interest to this topic is why it would be unconstitutional to be able to do a drug testing on welfare applicants.
The implementation of random drug testing in schools could be very effective in deterring students from using drugs. “Schools wish to conduct random drug tests as a deterrent from using drugs.” claims www.drugabuse.gov .
If you suspect you have a substance use disorder, the decision to seek treatment can be delayed by fear for your job or professional standing. Can you spare time off for recovery? If your supervisors or coworkers learn of your problem, will you be branded a “junkie” and see your advancement come to a standstill—or even be dismissed from your job?
I consider that students should be drug tested so students can conserve their health & healthy lifestyle & behavior. Many students at school do drugs due to trying to act cool against other people in school. The generalization why people & kids smoke is considering they want to look cooler than other people and kids like I had mentioned before in this paragraph. I don't think it would be a great idea to do drugs just to get into the cool group in school.
Drug abuse and the use of illicit substances is one of the biggest problems that our country faces today. Our youth are being faced with drugs at younger and younger ages. An epidemic has arose with heroin in communities big and small. Community leaders and those in power seem helpless and are constantly trying to find ways to control and stop this crisis. One common proposition is the institution of random drug tests at schools. The goal of these random drug tests is to make students less likely to try drugs or continue doing them if they had been previously. Random drug tests in schools have many positive and negative outcomes and people have very strong opinions on the subject, making it an extremely controversial topic.
Many high schools across the country have brought much attention to the idea of giving random drug tests to students in high school. The newfound interest in student drug testing may be as a result of recent polls, which have shown an increase in drug use among high school students. Many teachers, parents, and members of school comities are for the drug testing, while most students and some parents feel that this would be a violation of students rights as Americans, which is true.
Long working hours are associated with increased use of illegal drugs. Many people who own their businesses have been said to work for long hours in order to get higher returns. In order to achieve this success, they have turned to hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin and even marijuana. They are also using drugs to reduce fatigue and make them to remain alert for long hours. This is having an adverse effect on their bodies especially their vital organs such as heart, liver and kidney. Majority of them end up suffering from chronic diseases (Sutherland, Cooper & Palgrave Connect, 2000: 83). Once they are addicted, they are unable to control their feelings. In extreme cases, they get fired from their places of work or their ventures collapse due to poor management. As a result, they end up becoming depressed and some even commit suicide.