Employee Drug Testing - An Issue Between Safety and Privacy

Drug testing in the workplace has always been a				sicknesses are rampant too in companies, which
major issue and the center of many debates. On				do not undergo drug testing. Employers spend a
one hand, we have supporters who claim that it is				huge amount on health care benefits and medical
necessary for the sake of the employers, the				costs on these employees, who are not even
company and other employees. They feel that				assets to the company.
one of the best ways to ensure a safe and				Moreover, drug testing also improves employee
healthy working environment is to keep drug				quality. Some employers conduct this type of
users off their companies.				tests on employees to lessen effect of drug use
On the other, opponents deem that it is an				in the workplace such as absenteeism, turnover,
irrelevant matter and an invasion of privacy. They				attitude problems, emotional instability, tardiness,
argue that it is not a good practice and can				inefficiency and lack of productivity, theft, and
undermine the skills and knowledge of the worker,				working relations problems with co-workers.
which they think is a lot more important than the				Critics, on the other hand, say that drug testing is
fact that he was once involved in drug use.				an inaccurate means of measuring an employee's
Debates go on and on and yet many employers				capabilities and performance. They claim that drug
still implement drug testing for a multitude of				use has nothing to do with employee's skills and
reasons. One of the most prominent ones is to				knowledge, especially when the job position only
ensure the reliability of the person to whom they				entails office work and not the use of dangerous
entrust company matters to. Most employers				equipment.
believe that drug testing is of utmost importance				Furthermore, they argue that many drug testing
since employees hold a vast array of				procedures are not that accurate. An example
responsibilities and duties in the company.				they give is the scenario wherein a person who
This is especially true for businesses involved with				has been taking Advil has been found positive on
caring for children, elderly and disabled, and for				Marijuana. They feel that it is very unfair to be
industries that require the use of heavy and				declined of a job just because of inaccurate drug
dangerous machinery. This is also necessary for				testing procedures.
any high and important positions that can put a				At the end of the day, safety should always
company's name and welfare in jeopardy.				come as a top priority. If an employee does not
Another reason is for them to ensure a safe and				submit to an employee screening involving drug
healthy working environment in the company.				testing, it would be his loss, not the employer's.
Crime and violence has been a common				However, employers should ensure that they
occurrence in the workplace nowadays and a				choose a reputable drug testing company to
large percentage of these incidences can be				conduct these tests to safeguard the rights of
accounted to drug or alcohol use.				the employees.
Aside from that, accidents, injuries, and