As more Americans fail drug tests, employers turn to refugees
44 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Boilrig;52170039]A lot of things happening in America are happening in most developed nations, the US isn't above or beyond these issues, if you want an American example go search a couple of pages back on why Trump is going after the H1B visa, underpaying workers, locking them to employers etc.[/QUOTE]
I don't want an "American example" I want you to explain what your baseless fearmongering has to do with the story at hand.
If you can't show how this company is abusing their workers or paying them below market wage then you don't have a leg to stand on.
[QUOTE=Megadave;52170191]I will say at least Henry Ford went the full lengths and told his alcoholics to fuck off.[/QUOTE]
But that's not who we're talking about
Drug tests punish casual users as much if not more than addicts
[QUOTE=Raidyr;52170192]I don't want an "American example" I want you to explain what your baseless fearmongering has to do with the story at hand.
If you can't show how this company is abusing their workers or paying them below market wage then you don't have a leg to stand on.[/QUOTE]
You do understand the company is featured in the article, but the article is about Erie refugees right? and what I'm saying is that refugee and migrant workers can be abused and in situations they are, never that it was the company mentioned in the article. The topic is refugee workers taking the place of native workers due to drug problems, not Sterling Technologies, they are simply an example in Erie of hiring refugee workers.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;52170289]But that's not who we're talking about
Drug tests punish casual users as much if not more than addicts[/QUOTE]
Of coarse, I agree fully. I don't think anyone should be able to tell you what to do on your private time (barring the obvious). But the fact he went after alcoholics is quite interesting.
Honestly I can see the not willing to move bit. You want me to throw away the entirety of my old life for a job that I do not understand yet and may not keep me around?
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;52170612]Honestly I can see the not willing to move bit. You want me to throw away the entirety of my old life for a job that I do not understand yet and may not keep me around?[/QUOTE]
Because moving totally means "throw away the entirety of my old life"
As someone on their 17th move I disagree
[QUOTE=Adarrek;52170122]Are there really drug tests for companies in america? Never heard of such a thing before.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, before my first job at Walgreen's they were like "please go to Quest Diagnostics and pee in a cup"
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;52169379]People are fine with people drinking, you're not an alcoholic if you drink, you're a regular person. The distinction around drugs is pretty arbitrary. Yeah, coke and heroin are pretty nasty drugs, I would know, I did them, but people really shouldn't be punished for ecstasy or mdma or marijuana or something like that, it makes no sense and is entirely hypocritical.[/QUOTE]
Its about the company protecting themselves as Cyke said, if there is a defect in your product and it's discovered that one or more of your employees involved with it has a drug problem, the company is liable for possible fines and lawsuits.
It's either be progressive and ignore drug use, or avoid massive fines and possible suits. Guess which one any sane manager would pick.
[QUOTE=Levelog;52170632]Because moving totally means "throw away the entirety of my old life"
As someone on their 17th move I disagree[/QUOTE]
Not everyone is as flexible or unconcerned with geographical ties as you.
As someone who grew up in a family that did tons of moving thanks to the military, it destroyed our family and left me and my mother often without friends or any real connections to the community around us.
[QUOTE=laserpanda;52169320]It says some make $8 an hour, so I'm assuming it's unskilled labor.
Where I live, if you can pass a drug test and/or speak English, you can probably get a job somewhere they pays a lot better. (Fast food jobs start around $10-$12)[/QUOTE]
I'm making $16/hr and I don't have any paper attached to my resume as of yet...ok, ok, it ain't glamorous. I change oil and tires on bigrigs. But, hey, it ain't bad money, if I lived on my own I could self-sustain on it, and with just a couple of ASE certs I can be making $20/hr. Plus, plenty of overtime.
$8/hr is lower even than walmart pays, not by much I'll grant, but yah.
[QUOTE=ntzu;52170861]Its about the company protecting themselves as Cyke said, if there is a defect in your product and it's discovered that one or more of your employees involved with it has a drug problem, the company is liable for possible fines and lawsuits.
It's either be progressive and ignore drug use, or avoid massive fines and possible suits. Guess which one any sane manager would pick.
Not everyone is as flexible or unconcerned with geographical ties as you.
As someone who grew up in a family that did tons of moving thanks to the military, it destroyed our family and left me and my mother often without friends or any real connections to the community around us.[/QUOTE]
There is no research that shows that drug tests reduce these problems as far as I'm aware. Are they not equally liable if said person has a drinking habit?
[editline]30th April 2017[/editline]
If that's the case then the company has a right to tell you your bed time, your diet, everything. That's no different.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;52171226]There is no research that shows that drug tests reduce these problems as far as I'm aware. Are they not equally liable if said person has a drinking habit?
[editline]30th April 2017[/editline]
If that's the case then the company has a right to tell you your bed time, your diet, everything. That's no different.[/QUOTE]
Statistics don't really matter in this case, companies aren't looking to ratify a new bill, they're merely trying to avoid a legal precedent, its a self-protective measure for companies and is considered good business.
Most companies don't aggressively test anymore regardless, they used to in the older days when the tests were first introduced, but now-a-days they're mostly used (in the private sector) in places where its a larger safety issue, like airlines. Even then they only test when they have suspicions about a specific employee.
If you want companies to stop doing it, then collectively get every judge to agree to throw out lawsuits related to it.
Additionally, a good deal of the public sector is required by law to test.
Edit:
On the case of alcohol, showing up to work drunk is just as bad and will make you just as likely to get fired, they simply don't test for it because it isn't illegal.
They DO test for speed, pcp, crack, etc. etc. - not just THC.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;52169338]Drug tests are only as popular as they are because the companies that make drug tests market them so heavily.
Feels kinda dystopic in it's own right[/QUOTE]
its one of those cases as prices crashed they just decided to test everybody without restraint. if we drug tested all of wallstreet, i can guarantee there would be a different conversation about drugs in the workplace.
right now theres no reason not to test everybody and theres no restraint either, there are plenty of jobs where long term drug tests are pointless.
[QUOTE=ntzu;52170861]Its about the company protecting themselves as Cyke said, if there is a defect in your product and it's discovered that one or more of your employees involved with it has a drug problem, the company is liable for possible fines and lawsuits.
It's either be progressive and ignore drug use, or avoid massive fines and possible suits. Guess which one any sane manager would pick.[/QUOTE]
At every company I've worked for (mostly in the construction industry), drug testing was mandatory only if you were involved in an accident.
[QUOTE=laserpanda;52175532]At every company I've worked for (mostly in the construction industry), drug testing was mandatory only if you were involved in an accident.[/QUOTE]
Basically any place in manufacturing and construction the only prerequisite to working there seemingly is the ability to pass a drug test. If you have an accident of some kind you're required to have a drug and alcohol test. Funny story my sister's soon to be husband got a job that would normally require at least GED but I'm assuming the labor and opiate problem in Kentucky is so bad he got in on just the ability to pass a drug test.
I have not met anyone in the Midwest thus far that wouldn't fess up to being a habitual pothead, poppy cat, or adderall junkie.
Seriously, drug abuse is a pretty big issue, but at the same time it's a non-issue so long as people keep it to their private lives.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.