edf40wrjww2CF_PaperMaster:Desc
You would think that employee privacy rights only apply to employees that you currently have but it really begins with the hiring process. Companies can reduce the number of labor related incidents during the first step of recruiting by setting up a cost-effective, yet reliable drug testing system. According to Kevin Troutman (2005), "People who abuse drugs are a hazard to companies because they miss work, file more workers' compensation claims, make errors, steal and create safety concerns for other employees". An employer needs to use caution when setting up their system by making sure they are following their state's regulations and using a licensed third party facility to review the results. Unfortunately, a large percentage of employers abstain from this step because they fear that it will greatly reduce their pool of applicants but it could cost them more in the end.
Recent national studies report only half of employers test their employees for drugs, while three-fourths of the drug users in America are actively employed. According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of Rockville, Maryland, substance abuse costs the employer an average of $19,000 per person in lost production, workers' compensation and medical coverage (Dolan Media Newswires, 2005).
Another problem companies face when interviewing prospective employees is that reference checks are not always an effective way to learn about the candidate. There is no specific statutory or common law right to keep an employment history private or confidential but many employers fear that if they provide negative information about a past worker he or she may sue them for defamatio ...