# Does EVERYbody test for drugs these days?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 1, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536 "2009-12-01T00:14:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/1 "2009-12-01T00:14:04Z")
I may be looking for some part time work in a month or so. The last time I sought work was a little over 40 years ago. At that time, the hoop you had to get through was a loyalty oath, promising your employer that you were not a Commie - an irrelevant assurance to most jobs, to be sure. Times have changed. Now, I gather that most employees have to prove that they are not doing drugs of any type in the privacy of their own homes on their own time, still irrelevant to most jobs. Will I probably be asked to do a drug test? Do they usually spring that on you at an interview? Do you get any lead time to prepare, as it were? What’s the normal procedure these days? Thanks, Dopers - and I mean that in all ways possible.
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### Author:  [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/2 "2009-12-01T00:19:07Z")
It really depends on the job and industry and the individual company. It will generally be evident to you before the interview that a drug test will be required. Sometimes it’s as obvious as a big sign that says “Do not apply if you will not pass the drug screen.” Otherwise the requirement for a drug screen would usually be on the application or in the online application system somewhere. It is least likely where employees are least likely to cause damage and liability by using drugs. Employers that have had drug/ alchohol related accidents or other incidents are more likely to institute a testing plan. And in some industries it’s a virtual necessity for regulatory or insurance reasons.
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### Author:  [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/3 "2009-12-01T00:25:27Z")
Every application I fill out says they “may” test you for drugs prior to employment. My last two jobs tested me for drugs, one was for asst controller and the other was systems admin for a hotel.
Prior to that the drug testing was hit or miss.
One thing to realize is that not everyone is exactly what you expect. For instance, when I worked in H/R we said we may test for the following drugs: And we had a huge list, and marijuana was on that list. But in truth we NEVER tested for marijuana. The drug test you took for that place was strictly for the harder drugs and they used the hair test. We could’ve tested for marijuana but we didn’t. Of course you wouldn’t have known that
You normally won’t get called to take a drug test until the end till after you have completed the interview and had your reference checks. Drug tests in the places I worked ran between $20 and $30 per test, so they only give it to people who have a legitimate shot at the job.
When I went for the job at the systems admin, the H/R manager called and said "Mark, we want to hire you but the next appointment we have is in two weeks, but we can get you in today. If you can take the drug test today (Thursday) you can start on Monday, otherwise you’ll have to wait two weeks.
The asst controller job, they offered me the job, subject to the drug test and said “Here’s the place we do testing, call and make an appointment, after you take it and we get the results we’ll discuss the start date, please take it within two weeks.”
So you see one sprung it on me sort of.
If you have any kind of job that involves driving for instance, expect your testing to be more intense and more often. At the hotels I worked at the drivers had to take a random drug test once per month. Also if they were involved in ANY moving traffic incident, they had to return to the hotel and they were sent to take a drug test immediately.
And that I can understand, 'cause they are driving people around.
One thing that kind of frustrated me in H/R was the large number of people that failed it. I thought "OK if a person KNOWS he’s doing drugs he will just not take the test. But they took it anyway and failed. So the hotel was out the money and the person didn’t get the job. Perhaps that’s a way of getting back at the hotel or whatever.
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### Author:  [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/4 "2009-12-01T00:36:33Z")
I am always surprised when I hear that. In Canada (Ontario, anyway) drug testing is a violation of privacy and illegal as a hiring test. Really, our problems are not any worse than in the USA; in fact, the USA seems to have worse problems.
I suppose if you could afford to be vindictive, you could take the drug test and then decline the job just to cost them money. I suppose it says something about either what sort of problems people are running into with employees, or that it’s a convenient crutch. The USA is so lawsuit-happy that if something happens, I’m sure the legal advice is “if you had a chance to test for drugs and you didn’t, then you’ll end up paying big time”. After all, a large corporation can pay more than a drug-addicted employee who just got fired.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/5 "2009-12-01T01:13:27Z")
> [@CC](#):
>
> Do you get any lead time to prepare, as it were?
Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose? I don’t do drug testing for my employees\* but if I did, I would spring it with zero notice so you can’t prepare.
- I figure that what you do on your own time is your own business. If you show up at work under the influence, I’ll fire you for it, but if you want to get drunk or stoned on Friday night, it won’t affect your work on Monday morning.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/6 "2009-12-01T01:34:08Z")
I have been in the workforce for 13 years in white collar systems analysts jobs for mega-corps some of which are famous or household names. I have never been tested for drugs and neither have any of my colleagues as far as I know. I have never heard it mentioned except in a few job ads that I didn’t either apply for or get. If you show up to work high on crystal meth, it would probably be obvious but I don’t know why a company would care if you do cocaine on the weekend or marijuana on your own time.
In some really high pressure jobs, it is practically expected. I have known white collar workers that were on methadone treatments which is a drug in its own right and nobody smiles on that because it could cause tardiness and respect issues but companies sometimes understand and work around it for the right person. I have also seen people come to work obviously hung over and probably still legally drunk and nobody says much of anything as long as it is an isolated incident. I don’t do illegal drugs myself at all and never have but that hasn’t ever been something I have gotten worked up over even for people under me unless they make it a habit and it interferes with their work.
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### Author:  [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/7 "2009-12-01T02:05:31Z")
Same here, I’ve never been tested. White collar and tech industry jobs generally aren’t.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/8 "2009-12-01T02:14:14Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#):
>
> Same here, I’ve never been tested. White collar and tech industry jobs generally aren’t.
Right, it’s often either low end, or jobs that make sense- like Air traffic controller, Police officer, and such.
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### Author:  [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/9 "2009-12-01T02:19:29Z")
I’ve mostly worked in IT for companies that include some household names. Most or all of the jobs I’ve had were offered contingent on passing a drug test, but the test wasn’t carried out in every case; I can recall at least one where I was supposed to be tested, but they never made the arrangements for it. Regardless, I showed up on my first day and everything was fine for the entire time I was there.
Drug testing is expensive, so they wouldn’t normally spring it on you during an interview. Usually it happens after you accept the offer of employment.
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### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/10 "2009-12-01T02:29:11Z")
In low-level positions, drug tests are often less about drugs and more about finding the kind of employee who is compliant enough to pee in a cup with someone watching.
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/11 "2009-12-01T02:51:17Z")
> [@md2000](#):
>
> I am always surprised when I hear that. In Canada (Ontario, anyway) drug testing is a violation of privacy and illegal as a hiring test.
You’re on the right track. In Ontario (and to the best of my knowledge, all Canadian provinces), drug testing is not allowed because it may infringe a disability–addiction–which is a prohibited ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code. From page 2 of the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s [_Policy on Drug and Alcohol Testing_](http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/Policies/PolicyDrugAlch/pdf) (warning, PDF):
> [@](#):
>
> Section 5(1) of the Code prohibits discrimination in employment on several grounds including “handicap” (the Code uses the term “handicap” but the more currently accepted term is “disability” and it is therefore used in this and other Commission documents). The Code adopts an expansive definition of the term “handicap” which encompasses physical, psychological and mental conditions. Severe substance abuse is classified as a form of substance dependence,9 which has been recognized as a form of disability. Examples include alcoholism and the abuse of legal drugs (e.g. over the counter drugs) or illicit drugs. These types of abuse and dependence therefore constitute a disability within the meaning of the Code.
Of course, the Code makes allowances for employees in safety-sensitive positions (drivers, equipment operators, and the like). Still, some time ago, I had to explain to an American client that no, they were legally prevented from pre-employment and random drug/alcohol testing their Canadian office employees because of the above from Ontario and similar Codes in other provinces.
Sorry for the hijack. Back to the discussion of drug testing in the US…
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### Author:  [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/12 "2009-12-01T02:56:15Z")
> [@md2000](#):
>
> I am always surprised when I hear that. In Canada (Ontario, anyway) drug testing is a violation of privacy and illegal as a hiring test. Really, our problems are not any worse than in the USA; in fact, the USA seems to have worse problems.
It’s not Canada-wide. I’m in Alberta and was drug tested for my current job (started four months ago). My husband was also drug tested when he started with the Fire Department, and was previously drug tested with multiple companies as part of his employment in the oil field.
To answer the OP, as stated, it depends on the company. In my experience, they let me know it was a requirement after I had passed the interviews, references and was determined to be the chosen candidate. I was given about four days notice and went in for the mouth swab test. I was tested for all the harder drugs (not pot), but I didn’t know that until I got there.
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/13 "2009-12-01T03:47:48Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#):
>
> It’s not Canada-wide. I’m in Alberta and was drug tested for my current job (started four months ago). My husband was also drug tested when he started with the Fire Department, and was previously drug tested with multiple companies as part of his employment in the oil field.
I can understand your husband’s testing–firefighter is a safety-sensitive position, as is oilfield work. But we don’t know about you. What do you do that would trigger a drug test?
It should be noted that the same logic that applies to Ontario (addiction = disability, so no drug testing except for safety-sensitive positions) applies to Alberta. From the _Alberta Human Rights Act_, RSA 2000, c. A-25.5 ([link](http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=A25P5.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779745043)):
> [@](#):
>
> **7** (1) No employer shall
>
> (a) refuse to employ or refuse to continue to employ any person, or
> (b) discriminate against any person with regard to employment or any term or condition of employment,
>
> because of the race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, **physical disability** , mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status or sexual orientation of that person or of any other person.
Emphasis added. Drug testing = discriminatory (unless the person being tested is in a safety-sensitive position) has been held in a number of Alberta cases, among them _Alberta (Human Rights and Citizenship Commission) v. Kellogg Brown & Root (Canada) Company_, 2006 ABQB 302, ([link](http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2006/2006abqb302/2006abqb302.html)) where the Court said at paragraph 88:
> [@](#):
>
> [88] Like the policy found to be _prima facie_ discriminatory in _Entrop_, recreational users are adversely affected by the KBR Policy. The Policy imposes a pre-employment barrier, with zero tolerance, automatic termination and no accommodation. It bars individuals from the workforce and a positive test result negatively affects their livelihood. KBR sanctions any person testing positive by the removal of employment on the assumption that the person is likely to be impaired at work in the future and thus not “fit for duty.” The Policy not only treats all prospective employees who test positive for drugs the same, it treats them as if they were drug dependent and further assumes that they are likely to report to work impaired. Even though Mr. Chiasson may not be drug dependent, the policy operates to treat him as such, and **the requirement that he be tested for drugs with an automatic sanction for a positive test is _prima facie_ discriminatory**.
Emphasis added again. The _Kellogg_ case is quite informative, but (IMHO) too long and complicated to sum up in a single quote. For the complete story, follow the link to the decision itself.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/14 "2009-12-01T03:59:46Z")
In the oil industry it’s become fairly standard, in general because there are numerous safety-sensitive positions, and, practically speaking, because oilfield workers have a well-deserved reputation for hard livin’.
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### Author:  [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/15 "2009-12-01T04:05:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#):
>
> I can understand your husband’s testing–firefighter is a safety-sensitive position, as is oilfield work. But we don’t know about you. What do you do that would trigger a drug test?
>
> It should be noted that the same logic that applies to Ontario (addiction = disability, so no drug testing except for safety-sensitive positions) applies to Alberta. From the _Alberta Human Rights Act_, RSA 2000, c. A-25.5 ([link](http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=A25P5.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779745043)):
>
> Emphasis added. Drug testing = discriminatory (unless the person being tested is in a safety-sensitive position) has been held in a number of Alberta cases, among them _Alberta (Human Rights and Citizenship Commission) v. Kellogg Brown & Root (Canada) Company_, 2006 ABQB 302, ([link](http://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2006/2006abqb302/2006abqb302.html)) where the Court said at paragraph 88:
>
> Emphasis added again. The _Kellogg_ case is quite informative, but (IMHO) too long and complicated to sum up in a single quote. For the complete story, follow the link to the decision itself.
Interesting!
As for me, I work in an office as an Environmental Analyst. I sometimes travel for work, but I don’t really work in a profession where I might injure someone.
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### Author:  [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/16 "2009-12-01T04:07:01Z")
I should add, I work for a very large multi-national company too. It’s not like they wouldn’t know the rules (or, rather, they really should know the rules, tbh).
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/17 "2009-12-01T04:38:18Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#):
>
> As for me, I work in an office as an Environmental Analyst. I sometimes travel for work, but I don’t really work in a profession where I might injure someone.
Office work, and they’re making you do a drug test? _That’s_ interesting! I have a suspicion it isn’t exactly legal to demand either; but then, I don’t know all the facts so I am hesitant to say further.
> [@EmAnJ](#):
>
> I should add, I work for a very large multi-national company too. It’s not like they wouldn’t know the rules (or, rather, they really should know the rules, tbh).
Well, they should, but they don’t always. As I inferred above, I do have some decently-sized US companies as clients who don’t understand (in general) employment law in Canada. Of course, they don’t have to understand it; that’s why they consult me. But at times, their questions are surprising. As are their reactions when I tell them that, “no, you can’t do that in any province of Canada.”
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/18 "2009-12-01T04:53:36Z")
I’m a lawyer for a US federal agency, and I think I am subject to being drug-tested at any time, but as far as I can recall I never actually have been.
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### Author:  [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/19 "2009-12-01T05:21:17Z")
As an adult I’ve had two jobs - both engineering.
Both required a pre-employment drug test.
I thought both were stupid at the time, but I went through with both. Passed.
As stupid as I think they are, I’d rather have employment than be unemployed while enjoying marijuana.
That said - as soon as it’s legal, I’m all in.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2009, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-everybody-test-for-drugs-these-days/519536/20 "2009-12-01T09:41:56Z")
In the USA, drug testing is mandatory for interstate workers in transportation industries who are involved in transit work. But sometimes company or union policy extends that. When I went to work for a large railroad, the union had demanded that all workers (including company management) had to take the same kind of drug tests that the union workers (like locomotive drivers) took. Also that the company policy about drinking on the job applied equally to 3-martini-lunches by management.
So when I was hired as a computer programmer on the personnel system, I had to take a drug test. But I’d been on the job for about 3 weeks when the test results came back. I guess they really weren’t too worried about drugged-up computer geeks. At least, as compared to locomotive drivers.
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