Tag: Drug Testing

Van from TV’s Atlanta Helps Us Explore Drug Testing in the Workplace

Before Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) was singing duets with Beyonce, he was the brains behind TV’s Atlanta, a comedy-drama filmed and based in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta chronicles the efforts of Earnest “Earn” Marks (Donald Glover), a thirtysomething Princeton dropout, and his cousin Alfred Miles, up-and-coming rapper Paperboi (Bryan Tyree Henry), to navigate the Atlanta […]

Dealing with hidden disability: Navigating protections for workers with addictions

Employers generally understand their obligations related to legal protections for people with disabilities. But not all disabilities are obvious, sometimes not even to those afflicted. Such may be the case when employees suffer from addiction to prescription drugs—a problem that’s been in the spotlight lately. And with good reason: The costs employers face related to […]

No more pizza party rewards for safe work

by Eric J. Conn The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new e-record-keeping rule, formally titled “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses,” has created quite a stir for employers. The rule requires employers to electronically submit their injury and illness data, which the agency will then publish online for all the world to dissect. […]

Drugs, alcohol, and the workplace: What employers need to know

No employer wants impaired workers on the job, and most take steps intended to prevent drugs and alcohol from causing harm. But despite carefully considered policies, problems often occur. Statistics reported in the June 2 Wall Street Journal are giving employers more to worry about. Statistics from Quest Diagnostics Inc., a major administer of workplace […]

Drug testing does not always violate fundamental rights

by Marie-Gabrielle Bélanger In Canada, the criteria for allowing random drug or alcohol testing in the workplace are very limited because these tests are regarded by our courts as an invasion of an employee’s privacy. But what about requiring targeted testing of an employee suffering from an addiction?

Workaholics: Drug testing

The Comedy Central show Workaholics is currently in its fifth season of depicting a fresh (and hilarious) human resources nightmare week after week. The show is about three recent college dropouts (Blake, Adam, and Anders) who also happen to be roommates and coworkers at a fictional telemarketing company, TelAmeriCorp. To give you an idea of […]

Top 10 tips for dealing with substance abuse in the workplace

by Michelle Lee Flores There is clear agreement that substance abuse—whether it’s alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs—adversely affects employers and their businesses. Some estimate the loss of productivity for U.S. employers has been as much as $200 billion annually! General concerns for safety at work, injuries on the job, theft, loss of employee morale, […]

Agency proposes clearinghouse for commercial driver drug tests

by Charles S. Plumb The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed a new rule that would create a database of commercial drivers’ drug test histories, making it easier for employers to find a job candidate’s past drug test results. The comment period is open until April 21. Under the current rules, employers that hire […]

Worksite Privacy from Social Networking to Social Security

Yesterday’s Advisor featured four common-law claims and the first four privacy issues for employers. Today, the rest of the issues, plus an introduction to a comprehensive collection of 350 prewritten policies on CD. [Go here for issues 1 to 4.] 5. Social Networking Sites Employees have increasingly been utilizing social networking sites for a variety […]

Oh [no], Canada!

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the past couple of weeks, you’ve probably heard about Toronto’s crack-smoking mayor, Rob Ford. No, I don’t mean that term in the figurative sense or as a commentary on some outlandish political policy he has chosen to pursue. I mean it quite literally, as Rob Ford admitted in […]