Random workplace drug testing might seem a little distasteful to us. After all, we hire good people and expect them to succeed. They also have a right to privacy after working hours. Unfortunately, illegal drug use isn’t just limited to sketchy people who look the part. The specter of drug abuse is so deeply systematic that we’re virtually powerless to stop it. Whatever the case may be, we still have a fiduciary duty to protect our employees and our stakeholders.
Pre-employment drug screenings are a standard operating procedure at many companies as a means of meeting insurance compliance and reducing their risk of theft or workplace accidents. A drug testing program is always a good investment, it’s not normally worth the time or expense of instituting in-house drug testing for most small businesses. It’s not particularly expensive to order the testing supplies or to complete the training, but your staff’s time and attention are better spent elsewhere. At First Choice, we always offer discreet and confidential pre-employment physicals and drug screenings, and we have a Medical Review Officer (MRO) on staff to verify all results. Our services are a phone call away, and you don’t even need an appointment for most of our lab testing services offered at our Little Rock Clinic.
No matter how hard we try to discourage illicit drug use in the workplace, we can’t (and shouldn’t) monitor our employees’ activities all the time. We only need to concern ourselves with the “extracurricular activities” of a small minority of our employees. It’s unfortunate that our employees who don’t use drugs are subjected to the same rigors of workplace testing as the individuals who are willing to break the law in their spare time, but it’s the price of vigilance. You have a fiduciary duty to your business to protect its employees and assets by instituting a drug testing program.
Being a parent has always been challenging, but today’s youth are presented with more opportunities to make poor decisions than ever before. The news is full of reports of young people engaging in dangerous stunts to entertain their social media followers and dangerous criminals covertly contacting teenagers for the purposes of engaging in criminal mischief. These cautionary tales also serve to illustrate the ease with which kids can access contraband such as drugs and alcohol.