Employment Testing (Adder all)

aeunjoo · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 37

I got laid off last week. I'm really dreading having to take a drug screen for a future employer. I've only had to take one before (most recent employer). I tried to tell before and during the test, that it would be positive, but was told the lab doing the actual testing would contact me if needed.

I thought they would contact me directly, but they called the future employer HR rep, which called me to give me the phone number to call them. I called and gave them the information, but that HR rep must have told my future supervisor. I had a great interview with the supervisor and was told that she insisted I was the one she had chosen. But on my first day, I thanked her for hiring me and she replied coldly, 'don't make me sorry'.
I know the laws are different in each state (I'm in Texas), but I guess at the next test, I'm going to insist on talking to somebody in charge.

chaekyu · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 34

I most certainly would! I was nervous about my most recent hire, because they drug tested, and I wasn't sure exactly what was looked for in those tests. I didn't have anything illegal, but I did have some Valium in my system, and I was afraid they'd think that I took it illegally, because a lot of people do. It ended up okay though; I guess they didn't test for things like that.
But I would most certainly try to talk to someone that has superiority in this case, because you don't want to be looked at in the wrong way. Maybe you could bring a copy of your prescription and hope that it stays with the test paperwork, so it will be understood that you take it for a reason.

hahninsik · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 38

Yes, you should bring a prescription from your doctor to the test site if you are tested again. I don't think you need to inform the hiring company directly, as you would want your medical information to remain confidential.
Perhaps you might want to do some research on HIPPA--this law might have changed how much medical information can be shared with an employer since the last time you were tested. It should have been illegal for your HR rep to share your confidential medical information with your new supervisor.