RE: the OTHER test

[Christi Carew <ccarew -at- rangestar -dot- com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brent -dot- Jones -at- Level3 -dot- com [mailto:Brent -dot- Jones -at- Level3 -dot- com]
> Subject: the OTHER test
> 
> I've
> noticed that more and more contracting agencies and (one 
> presumes) their
> client companies are requiring a drug screen prior to 
> employment.

> As a potential employee, would a required 
> drug screening
> affect your decision to accept or reject a position with a company? As
> someone who hires others, is a drug screening a part of your 
> hiring process?
> As a technical professional, have you ever been asked to 
> undergo a screen?
> Was it an issue for you at all? What was your response?

It's always been my general understanding that the companies that tend to do
pee testing are government-related or want to test the people that work in
high-risk (either physical or financial) environments. This may just be my
own ignorance...

I guess I've just managed to avoid those areas. I've never been asked to
take a pee test. I've always told myself that if a job required it, I
wouldn't take the job. Luckily, I've never been faced with actually making
that decision, but I suspect that my household income is steady enough and
of a sufficient level that I can be picky about my jobs.

My husband's company just started pee testing new workers. He didn't have to
take the test because he already worked there. Their claim was that they
wanted to test workers in their fab (where they make the chips), so they
have to test everyone. But my husband did write a long letter detailing why
he thought it was a bad policy. In his line of work (digital hardware
design), engineers are snapped up quite quickly. One of my husbands reasons
for suggesting it is a bad policy is that it takes time. And if an engineer
has two offers but for one he has to get a drug test, then the engineer is
more likely to take the other offer. I think this can relate to any field
where employees are a hot commodity - tech writing included.

Christi Carew
ccarew -at- rangestar -dot- com

RangeStar Wireless
www.rangestar.com

All communication contained in this e-mail is entirely my own and is not
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