I work for a restaurant… it’s a big time corporate deal (enough info)
The other night, I was using some chemicals to clean out a refrigerator and I felt light-headed… no biggie for me, I mean, come on! My head is in a fridge with cleaning chemicals, I almost of (albeit stupidly) expected it.
I stepped outside for some fresh air. Working the night shift, the managers left for a few hours before breakfast (yep, no management on duty) While I’m getting ready to walk back in and keep scrubbing, a coworker jaunts out with an open cell phone stating that the manager whom was supposed to be at the restaurant was on the phone and wanted to talk to me.
I told her, I felt light-headed, no biggie. I was ready to get back to the grind and instead, she sent me home. I understand that she probably did this for liability reasons but it urked my that I was unable to finish my shift when I felt fine. It turned out that a coworker was scared that if I passed out they wouldn’t know what to do so they placed the call.
Following this, I received phone calls from the company (both local and corporate) stating that I have to see a Dr. in order to get released to work again and that I’m in great shape. I was under the impression that the doctor’s bill was on my dime until I talked to the corporate ‘risk management’ rep on the phone today who said that the company foots the bill.
Further, I’m informed that per company policy, I have to take a drug test along with my Dr’s visit. Hey, that’s fine, I’m clean! but this is a bit over the line for stating the line “i feel a bit light headed”
I decided to suck it up and go in for the papers to get filled out, take the test, and get on with my job (im only 1 1/2 weeks on the job, btw)
The form is ambiguous as to what exactly they’re testing for. The company employee policy book states that they could test me for a plethora of drugs including opiates, amphetamines, barbituates, alcohol, etc.
And it hit me that I took a tylenol 3 for my back about a week ago, completely unrelated to work so I’m concerned I may test positively for that. I have the prescription but they never informed me who to provide this info to and when so that it doesn’t come back to bite me.
Can anyone fill in the blanks? I can’t work until I get this taken care of. I know that I need to see the Dr. in order to be cleared to work but what about the drug test? Can I get fired for testing positively although I have a valid prescription? Who do I show this to?
Has anyone dealt with this before? How did you deal with it?
ha, all because I said I was light-headed! sheesh! I hate this!
I’d say that the drug test is for their protection. If you passed out or were injured, you could make a claim against them. If it turns out that you had used drugs, then they would counter that your lightheadedness was not from the chemicals you were using on the job, but from the recreational chemicals you used off the clock.
IIRC Tylenol 3 contains codeine which does not stay in your system for longer than 72 hours. Marijuana interestingly enough is detectable for much longer than either narcotics or barbituates.
What do you want to know?
If your question is what should you do, just take the test. The worst that can happen is that they’ll fire you if you’re positive, and they’ll do that anyway if you refuse.
Is that it?
Peace,
mangeorge
Yeah, you could be mainlining heroin, smoking crack, popping Oxys like a hillbilly who just hit the lottery and drinking untold gallons of whiskey up until 72 hours prior and still piss clean. But god forbid, if you ::cue terrifying music:: smoked a joint a week ago, you’re busted and therefore declared satanically unfit for employment. Sucks, doesn’t it?
On the other hand, you work for nazis and should consider alternative employment. It’s not going to get any better.
touche my friend… touche… Jobs are so few and far between in this town, in a way I feel lucky, then suddenly guilty. I need money and caved like a house of cards and accepted my horrible position… it is NOT worth the 1.00$ over minimum wage they pay although they like to think it’s a very elite position in which I hold!
I used to work for Wal-Mart, and they had a similar policy, though I never got hurt there. Apparently getting injured at work means you are high. :dubious: I think it’s just something for their attack lawyers to use so that they can find a way to avoid being blamed for an accident, especially if the company somehow caused or set up a situation such that an accident was bound to happen eventually.
I’ve only had one employment drug test, and it was a while ago, but IIRC there is a form you fill out giving your consent that gives you a space to list any prescription drugs you are taking.
When even the food service industry–the last reserve of hardcore stoners, arm stickers, and cokeheads–is requiring compulsory drug testing, you know it’s gone too far. What is a hash hound supposed to do for a living? Run a meth lab?
Excellent point. You might want to give the Colorado Division of Workers Compensation a call. You may not have been obviously injured, but your health may have been harmed by whatever you were cleaning the fridge with. The DWC might want to know more about employers that turn new employees loose with hazardous chemicals without training or PPE (personal protective equipment).
Ugh, I’m back in Illinois… that website doesn’t help but I am assuming all states have similar standards.
I think that the biggest problem (aside from my own) is the fact that during this time NO manager was on duty… it was 3AM which means cleaning time for us and home time for them.
In the fridge I was using a solution of warm water, a pink substance, and the chemicals were unknown to me. it was simply handed to me.
On the phone with corporate today, they said, ‘next time you should probably use gloves or something protective.’ which would have prevented inhalation??! I also had a minor rash on my hand the following day that they knew about.
Oddly enough, this was directly after I was requested to step on a ledge under the grill in order to clean the back walls. Mindyou, the ledge was greasy and slippery, I was bent over a HOT grill (not turned off all day and the ledge to stand on was greasy and slippery. I got up there, attempted to reach, slipped, (since I do not yet have non-slip shoes) and instead of a face-plant on a hot grill, I casually stepped down and told my coworker that I wouldn’t be putting my well-being in jeopardy trying to reach for a wall that I was clearly not tall enough to reach the back walls without falling. Since I was still training, he said ‘just take care of the fridge.’
Oh, and may I mention that the trainer has been out with an illness and no one has been actually training me for this position but walking me through the bitch work of the job until he gets back with the intellect of ‘teach him what you know’
And the best part is that there are cameras facing this WHOLE cleaning area. This SUCKS!
Assuming you really haven’t taken any medications other than Tylenol 3, just take in the prescription or get a note from the doctor who wrote the prescription. I don’t see why you think you need to be worried.
I had to take a routine drug test for work a few years ago. I knew I’d come up “positive” for amphetamines, because of one of the prescriptions that I take. I didn’t want to say anything to the employer, so I spoke directly to the person administering the test. She told me that if I came up positive, I would get a call from their doctor in a day or so asking for an explanation and giving me instructions for what to do. When the doctor called, I gave him my doctor’s contact info, and it was all cleared up in a day or so.
I don’t think that they just assume that “postive” results are evidence of illicit drug use, because plenty of licit drugs will be detected by the tests, too.
Yeah, this is how it works now because of HIPPA or somesuch privacy law, according to a lady at the drug testing facility I went to for a pre-employment privacy rape at my current job. It used to be that they asked you upfront what medications you were taking, but now they have a doctor call you.
You’ll get branded a whistle-blower and promptly fired. Other than a warm, fuzzy feeling (this time not from cleaning chemicals), you won’t benefit at all.
I think that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to drug test some of my bosses,judging by the incredibly inept future project decisions they come up with.
Maybe they should start using drugs or get drunk or something and then there might be some sort of logic to what they ask us to implement to get the job done.