Found an interesting article about the opioid crisis in the workplace and how employers are reacting.
http://www.ideastream.org/news/opioid-crisis-causing-some-employers-to-rethink-their-drug-policies
In regards to employment and drug testing, what do you that that employers/companies should do to help with the opioid crisis? Stricker work policies? More frequent drug testing? Counseling/rehab support? Education and info training? Or just a zero tolerance policy?
I would also take into account that the Midwest is facing a large worker shortage in the areas of production and manufacturing. Do you think the opioid crisis plays a factor and should be considered when making workplace policies?
I personally know a handful of people who graduated from K and got a job, and once they found out on their first day that they would have to get tested they decided to not attend (because they had smoked weed recently, and apparently weed takes a while to leave your system). I'm not sure what the policies should be, but I think that employment policies can only be changed if we change the whole system that criminalizes drugs. I say this following Chapter 17 of the book, in which the author explains that in Portugal drugs are decriminalized and employers are actually incentivized to hire recovering addicts through tax breaks. If we view addiction as a public health problem and not as an "evil people" problem, I think that many things can change from there. Nevertheless, not getting hired because of weed seems absurd, specially since weed is less harmful and addictive than alcohol and most people probably drank before the drug test. For opioids, I am not sure...but 90 percent of users are not addicted, so I doubt that they would harm the workplace.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the policies in the workplace should be adjusted, especially in the states where medical marijuana is legalized. Not being able to work because you use marijuana as a medicine is absurd and exclusive.
DeleteI think that employers should definitely provide their employees with resources. Education and info training about the crisis would be important first steps. Also, if a company has knowledge that its employees are affected directly and/or indirectly, then it should provide them with counseling/rehab.
ReplyDeleteIn some areas especially, drug addiction should be treated in respects to a handicap and recovery should be the solution over termination. Realistically, if somebody is addicted to opioids during their application process, companies won't accept them (costly for company's health plan and will be seen as a threat to the work environment). But if they show initiative, recover successfully, or have been with the company for a while and need help, I don't see why they shouldn't be shown support.
ReplyDeleteNaturally, I think the current nature of our drug tests in the workplace is a little skewed. Based on the fact that a standard urine test will detect cocaine and other narcotics use within a 2 week period, while catching marijuana use of over a month. However, many companies testing policies are very upfront with their employees and it is up to the employees to abide by the policy. With that said, companies should be able to offer some type of council to employees that are upfront about their history.
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