Do most jobs drug test?

swisschris104

Do most jobs drug test?
More like entry level jobs such help desk?

Sorry for small post but its just such a simple question.

Disclaimer:
(I'm no drug addict but i'm a marijuana smoker and just curious)(I'm still planning on quitting regardless just in case)

santaowns

Yes, the majority of jobs i have held, that were worth working at, have asked me to pee in a cup, and for one give up a good haircut.

Even while doing some contracting work I had to take a drug test.

Iristheangel

Most serious jobs do. I may not agree with it being illegal but after a certain point, you have to make the decision of whats more important to you: weed or your career.

swisschris104

Is there just a initial drug test or random drug test through out

swisschris104

Alright thank you all or answering the question it was helpful, thank you.

Iristheangel

In most cases, your employer has the right to drug test you randomly or whenever they suspect something. It's best to just give up smoking unless its more important than your career

santaowns

I have only had one job that randomly drug tested, but the others were a just to get the job type thing. Iris is correct in telling you that the majority of them include a clause for random drug testing, but i have yet to see one do that.

discount81

Only one job, a government department asked me to do this.

I am quite surprised at the amount of people who feel this is common, maybe it is an American thing?

The only sector I know of that is very strict is mining, even if you are just cleaning toilets they test.

paul78

Mining? How interesting, is it a life-safety reason?

Anyways, in financial services, it's very common. Same for a company that provides services to financial services industry, since that is a common contract provision.

nosoup4u

Every job I've ever worked at has required it, and I've been randomed from time to time because I have a company vehicle. (DOT req)

jmritenour

That's crazy - even in working for a public school system, and a hosting company/managed service provider that specialized in secure, compliant hosting that I've had to acquire a public trust for, I've never had to take a drug test of any type. I've been finger printed, and that's about it.

I wouldn't have a problem with taking a drug test, I just find it strange that it seems so common from what most of you are saying, and I've never had it happen once in 12 years in the industry.

And I double checked - there's no laws prohibiting drug testing in Virginia, other than an employer can't make an applicant/employee pay for it. Very strange.

networker050184

Every job I've ever had drug tested except for the ones in Virginia. I was thinking maybe there were some local laws that made it harder.

sieff

every job i had required urine testing. a friend of mine in sales had to submit a hair sample for a job based in VA. he told them straight up, "i'm not going to pass this drug test" and they thanked him for his honesty and told him they'd test him after 6 months on the job.

BradleyHU

its been a while since i've had to do a drug test...it depends on the company i guess. I would say gov't jobs or companies that have gov't contracts do that tho...

BigMevy

Since I got out of the military every job I've had but one required a drug screening, at the very least initially when I was hired. Subject to random tests, but that usually only comes up if something happens such as an on the job accident or the like. So I've never had to deal with it except when getting hired.

DigitalZeroOne

I have had to take a drug test at just about every job I've had, but when I worked for the local government, they didn't test me at all.

N2IT

It seems like jobs are requiring less and less of this. What I have seen is smoke free campuses but drug test seem to be trending downward. The last 4 jobs I took (some project based) didn't require a drug test.

DEC901

It seems to be the norm nowadays for employers to be more thorough about knowing something of whom they are hiring.

DPG

You will see a lot less drug testing in industries with high employee demand.

JDMurray

Corporate lawyers are insisting on drug testing in an attempt to minimize liability from "less trustworthy" new hires. It's also becoming inexpensive to drug test because many background checking companies offer the service too. It's also legally easier to drug test someone before they become an employee than after they are hired.

demonfurbie

Weekly.

wes allen

I have been tested pre employment before, subject to random testing, though never called in. Background checks as well.

I have always wondered how effective it is as control? And, how will employers in states like Colorado and Washington handle the recent law changes?

Self employment is always an option if you don't want to be tested - just have to watch which jobs / contracts you accept.

cisco_trooper

JDMurray wrote: »

Corporate lawyers are insisting on drug testing in an attempt to minimize liability from "less trustworthy" new hires. It's also becoming inexpensive to drug test because many background checking companies offer the service too. It's also legally easier to drug test someone before they become an employee than after they are hired.

^^THIS. As an agent of the company you can cause significant liability for said company. There is quite a few individuals who couldn't care less about your habits, but as a matter of business they MUST show prudence in those they hire for nothing else than to keep lawyers off their back if you ever screw up.

sieff

it generally recommended to not do drugs. if your piss is in fact cloudy, its probably best to avoid drug testing.

MAC_Addy

I've been drug tested on almost every job at the very beginning. My current employer, I was drug tested on the first day. After 6 months of working there they sent out an e-mail saying that they were going to drug test randomly at any given time - since that e-mail every person in the IT department was tested in the 1st week (around 25 of us). I have been tested 3 times since then. My old HR manager didn't like me at all - that's all she had to try and get me fired. Ironically, she wasn't doing her job and I was invited in on the firing process as a witness. Karma is a, well, you know.

Iristheangel

wes allen wrote: »

I have always wondered how effective it is as control? And, how will employers in states like Colorado and Washington handle the recent law changes?

The new laws will change nothing as its still illegal federally. There was a Supreme Court case where someone with a medical prescription in California was fired from his job for peeing positive. The Supreme Court ruled that even though they had a prescription, because it was federally illegal, it did not count as discrimination to fired them. Sucks and I don't agree with it but I suspect that most federal courts will rule this way. I do think there will be local employers that don't care but large national corporations and federal government jobs will care greatly still

davidboy

A lot of places require a drug test before they start you; most rarely (if at all) will conduct random drug tests. You might be safe if you are in Colorado or Washington though.

N2IT

DPG wrote: »

You will see a lot less drug testing in industries with high employee demand.

Agreed 100%

zrockstar

BradleyHU wrote: »

its been a while since i've had to do a drug test...it depends on the company i guess. I would say gov't jobs or companies that have gov't contracts do that tho...

Not true. I have worked for the federal government twice and for two different agencies, one being the DoD, and neither initially or random tested in either position. Separately, I worked for a contractor for the VA and did have to test, but in both direct hire position with the government, I did not have to.

N2IT

Drug test are a huge waste of time. So many ways of getting around them it's pointless unless you are getting some discounted health insurance rate or someone other cost savings.

Checking someone's debt to income / credit score and criminal past is far more valuable.

YuckTheFankees

Out of five jobs, I only had to do a drug test once. Going off of what N2IT said about checking credit score/debt to income, I do not know if I agree with that. From everything that has happened since 2008, you're going to have a lot of people having lower credit scores and higher debt to income ratio because all of the jobs that were lost.