3 ms·

You're not really the class of employee that these policies are (or should be, at least) targeted at. I had to take a piss test to get a job where I drove a co

by mod 11y ago

You're not really the class of employee that these policies are (or should be, at least) targeted at. I had to take a piss test to get a job where I drove a company box truck on a route every day, with a hazardous material endorsement. I was fresh out of high school, no other qualifications. I didn't then, nor do I now, have a problem with that piss test. I'm a programmer now. I'd have a problem with a piss test--which I would readily pass, even if it were effective.

guard-of-terra 11y ago
Yesterday, journalists weren't the class of employee that these policies are targeted at, but today they became so. If this shit becomes the default (megacorp drones will think: why not extend this inexpensive procedure to everyony) we'll just live in even worse and more humiliating society than we do already. You think, therefore you resist.
- VLM 11y ago
  "we'll just live in even ... more humiliating society than we do already" This insight also applies to a world where HR filters (or keyword filters) based on decades of social media posts.
- kelukelugames 11y ago
  One journalist at an unnamed "national" magazine was drug tested. The author then makes a joke out of it. The story was a set up for the rest of the article. Worrying it's becoming the default is just irrational as outrage over Starbucks' war on Christmas. Let me put this out there now, before you’ve read too far: I was not myself drug-tested before publishing this story. Neither was my editor, nor the copy editor, nor any of the designers, programmers, or art editors who worked on it. For all I know, the lot of them—the entire staff of Slate—could be huddled in a conference room right this very minute, passing joints around and shooting dope and snorting PCP. But ours is not the standard workplace in America.
- brazzledazzle 11y ago
  I once worked for a division of a company that had no drug testing policy. After that division was moved under another during a reorganization it was required that all new hires be drug tested. It didn't matter that we sat at desks all day. It was only through concerted effort on the part of management and key employees that we were allowed to stop doing it. It took close to two years to get it fixed. It's really no wonder megacorps have a hard time retaining talented or creative people when the only ones that can endure it are required to have incredible tenacity and patience.
cableshaft 11y ago
I'm a programmer. I had to take a drug test AFTER I was already hired, because we got bought up by another company and the new company's hiring policy (they're a major corporation) requires every single employee submit to a drug test, for some mission statement reason (you can rest easy that our employees aren't on drugs! or something). I was tempted to quit over it, but I didn't. I thought I was done with that shit, though.

by mod 11y ago

guard-of-terra 11y ago

Yesterday, journalists weren't the class of employee that these policies are targeted at, but today they became so. If this shit becomes the default (megacorp drones will think: why not extend this inexpensive procedure to everyony) we'll just live in even worse and more humiliating society than we do already. You think, therefore you resist.

VLM 11y ago
"we'll just live in even ... more humiliating society than we do already" This insight also applies to a world where HR filters (or keyword filters) based on decades of social media posts.
kelukelugames 11y ago
One journalist at an unnamed "national" magazine was drug tested. The author then makes a joke out of it. The story was a set up for the rest of the article. Worrying it's becoming the default is just irrational as outrage over Starbucks' war on Christmas. Let me put this out there now, before you’ve read too far: I was not myself drug-tested before publishing this story. Neither was my editor, nor the copy editor, nor any of the designers, programmers, or art editors who worked on it. For all I know, the lot of them—the entire staff of Slate—could be huddled in a conference room right this very minute, passing joints around and shooting dope and snorting PCP. But ours is not the standard workplace in America.
brazzledazzle 11y ago
I once worked for a division of a company that had no drug testing policy. After that division was moved under another during a reorganization it was required that all new hires be drug tested. It didn't matter that we sat at desks all day. It was only through concerted effort on the part of management and key employees that we were allowed to stop doing it. It took close to two years to get it fixed. It's really no wonder megacorps have a hard time retaining talented or creative people when the only ones that can endure it are required to have incredible tenacity and patience.

cableshaft 11y ago

I'm a programmer. I had to take a drug test AFTER I was already hired, because we got bought up by another company and the new company's hiring policy (they're a major corporation) requires every single employee submit to a drug test, for some mission statement reason (you can rest easy that our employees aren't on drugs! or something). I was tempted to quit over it, but I didn't. I thought I was done with that shit, though.