I just found out at my company it is policy to perform random drug and alcohol testing of all employees. I guess this makes some sense for other parts of the business where people use heavy machinery, etc. but they also test office workers.

I don't take drugs and I never drink during the day but I don't want to be tested. I am a professional person and I am trusted with development of our software and valuable internal and client databases so why cant they trust me with this? There are many developers who produce poor quality work even without any drugs, etc. Surely the quality of my work is enough.

Apparently here in Australia if I am asked to take a piss test and refuse they have the right to sack me. If they ask me I think I might resign.

i understand your point but dont take it personal. your argument is that for heavy machinery it is ok to test people but not in office? that sounds unequal to me

A piss test is no reason to resign; especially if you know you'll pass.

This policy is likely to weed out hardcore alcoholics and for the safety of the heavy machinery operators.

I'm guessing this was in your job contract, so leaving and reading that properly next time is my advice.

Your employer probably do trust you, but they have to be seen to be treating everyone equally. And if you refuse or resign then it looks like you have something to hide.

It's probably in there just to cover then legally and may not even happen for office workers unless they have reason to suspect usage. So you're probably fine they just have that in there so they can have a valid cause to remove anyone for any reason.

Some places are hired as "at will" and no reason is needed to resign or to be fired but companies will do every legal CYA maneuver possible to avoid paying costs for not being covered.

This is standard policy to do thorough background checks on everyone at every level in the org...

Silo-ing people will scream discrimination!

This is totally standard within medium+ orgs.
I kind of enjoy it and take a "look Ma! No drugs!" attitude.

I worked a job where they "randomly selected" people they thought were high or drunk at work (but hiding it well) and threw in people they know would pass to make it look random and routine, rather than targeted. If you're asked, it'll most likely be for the sake of making it look random. I wouldn't worry too much, but i get your point and your concern.

The others are right in that it's corporate CYA.

@kenogo it sounds like you're being serious, but I can't believe it

@kenogo I think its more to do with employees operating machinery who could be impaired due to drink or drugs. If you got squashed by a forklift truck because someone was off their head then people would ask how your employer let this happen.

@kenogo it's not random tests, it's very specifically drug tests at random intervals, it's also (no doubt) in your employment contract.

Employers have good reasons too, it reduces liability issues, reduces health insurance / compensation costs, promotes a sober/safe environment, can be used to help people with drug problems and more..

Might just be, but don't you sort of feel obligated to your employer to rock up sober?

@kenogo fair enough, I still don't think the employer should be prevented from testing employees - assuming it's in the contract they signed.

@rantalicious well, it doesn't worry me, I still get paid for the time, it's not overly fun but at the same time it's only once every couple months at most.. so why not make the best of a boring situation

Employer shouldn't be a allowed to do drug tests. Others I'd have to bring whole bag of documents from doctors that allow me to be under influence of certain substances.

Employer has nothing to do and should be interested in my health history in any way. Definitely not with drugs which take positive results in the tests long time after use.

Tell them your religion forbids you doing this, for fucks sake.

I take meds giving positive results in amph results. That's between me and my doctor.

It's one of those few situations I'm happy to live in Poland where such sick ideas are forbidden.
What could be next, pregnancy tests? Testing people if they use condoms? Or have only one sex partner? Or pray to the preferred god?

@brod It's sounds like you've never had chronic pain, a depressive episode, or mental instability.

I'm not sure if you make a practice of questioning your beliefs, or even trying to see things from someone else's point of view.

But whether you're aware of it or not, the implication of what you're saying (and the premise behind drug testing) is that people with health issues and drug problems don't deserve employment (at least where YOU work), even if they can keep their shit together.

Edited: removed an assumption about you.

@divil everyone does drugs, even people who think they don't. I once found a job posting that tested for Nicotine. NICOTINE, not cigarettes.

So if you have nicotine gum or are on the patch, you're not good enough for those employers. F them, that's almost fascist.

@kenogo this comment right here. In fact in my country it is illegal to just do drug/alcohol tests without any rasonable proof.

My body, my own fucking business!

Or shall we also test people on body mass index?

@MechAnimals I'm well aware people come in all shapes, colours and backgrounds but if you're company does random drug tests and you fail (no matter the outcome, fired or not) - the only person to blame is yourself.

That's all I'm trying to say, you signed up for something so it's on you to meet the terms.

@brod let's say I take vicodin on a daily basis. This means, I will give positive results on opiate test. If I have narcolepsy, than I'll give positive test for amphetamine or/and cocaine. Im my urine they can detect all kinds of meds I take and diagnose many different kinds of sickness.

You have nothing to hide? Give me your credit card history and all passwords, I won't do anything bad with them, I promise!

Not to mention recreational use. Go to Netherlands, smoke some weed (it's legal there!), get tested two months after. Boom! Test is positive, you're fired. After two or three months. In hair - even longer. I wonder how long does last if you aren't actively smoking, just standing be in same room with smoker.

Why they don't test for alcohol in Islamic countries? Had a glass of wine on the plane? Bad luck, you go to jail, my friend!

Unless the best have a way to do drugs and stay out of the sight. Like using drugs that aren't in the tests or cleansing quite often.
Or simply cooperate with management to be skipped in tests.

Indeed that's a simple choice. On the other hand, look at my example. I use lots of drugs, I mean, doctor ordered drugs, 2 of them give positive results for 3 narcotics (lol!)
I'm ok with disclosing what I take, I even wrote it on devRant. If the salary was higher - I would have doubts. Perhaps would go with the healthier policy, but still, if I disclose what I take, provide them with required paperwork what could they detect in my urine? ? If I were woman, detect that i'm pregnant and fire me before I go on maternity leave?

It's just that if you allow one line to be crossed, it's far too easy to allow other lines to be crossed.
I live in Poland where our government have just done this to democracy. Step by step, bit by bit, when no one believed they would take over whole juridical system.

@mt3o that's specious to suggest, if you're taking medication that'll give a positive reading you should tell the company. IIRC we get asked about any medication / medical conditions that may be relevant.

It's got nothing to do with having nothing to hide. I completely support employee privacy.

@rantalicious oh, well yeah, the only reason I support it is because it's legal.. if the law changes my opinion will change to match. It doesn't impact me enough for me to have any other opinion.

@kenogo right, so if every employer (in the field) has this in their contract, you might need to find another field. Not trying to be rude or mean or unfair, but that's what I'd do if I couldn't get a job in my preferred field.

@brod i don't want my HR to know that I'm bipolar, or epileptic, or pregnant, or have testicles cut out due to cancer. Each of these things are to find out knowing what meds I take.
Law requires employers to have employees checked by medical doctor (work medicine? Medycyna pracy) and the doctor allows you to do your job. At least in Poland. Doctor has no right to disclose your health status. Just like priest has no right to disclose what your sins are.
It's outraging that priest-follower relationship has better law protection than doctor-patient.