Ensuring Your Employee Drug Testing Program Is Ethical

Mandatory drug testing of Arizona employees is highly controversial, as many believe it is an unnecessary expense that can result in unwarranted job loss. Others believe employee drug testing helps protect the work environment from drug-impaired workers. Regardless of your viewpoint on workplace drug testing, it’s important to ensure the entire process is ethical and safe for your workers.

Privacy

Many critics of workplace drug testing cite a worker’s right to privacy in their argument. Critics argue that if an employer asks an employee to submit to a drug test, which indicates the employee consumed the substance the previous night, this is not relevant to the work environment. The employee chose to consume drugs on his or her own time but is not under the influence of drugs while at work. Critics of employee drug testing argue that it’s an invasion of privacy for employers to inquire as to how an employee spends time away from work.

Fairness

Drug testing proponents argue that an employee’s behavior away from work does impact his or her work performance. As a result, proponents argue that impaired employees shouldn’t be paid the same wage as those who work to their full capacity. At the same time, mandatory drug testing does impact employee morale, as some employees view the process as authoritarian action.

Safety

Supporters of mandatory drug testing programs also cite concern for workplace safety. For example, a truck driver puts the lives of innocent people at risk if he or she drives while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If the driver causes accidents or injuries while at work, the employer can be held liable for the damages. Mandatory drug testing helps alleviate this risk of liability.

Oschmann Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing programs and DOT compliance services. We have been a national leader in developing, managing and servicing Drug Free Workplace Programs since 1996. If you would like to learn more about Arizona drug testing for the workplace, you can reach us at (520) 745-1029 or (800) 224-8532.

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