Drug Testing Is One of the Most

Drug testing is one of the most controversial human resources practices. On the one hand, employers want to know whether their employees are doing anything to impair them while on the job. On the other hand, employees deserve the right to privacy. Court rulings on the ethics and legality of drug testing have been ambiguous. As the textbook points out, the United States Supreme Court "has concluded that drug tests are 'minimally invasive' procedures that as a rule do not violate individuals' rights," (p. 560). On the other hand, recent news articles show that drug testing remains one of the most controversial issues in human resources. Published in Fox News, the article "Judge says Florida governor's order to drug test state workers unconstitutional" reveals the conflict between employee and employer rights with regards to drug testing. The textbook mainly addresses drug testing as a facet of contingency selection for new applicants; whereas the news article addresses the Governor's attempt to impose drug tests on persons who are already employees. Either way, drug-testing policies are "probably here to stay" as part of human resources.

Therefore, human resources managers need to understand the role of drug testing in employee recruitment and retention in their organizations. In terms of recruitment, drug testing might become a policy that filters applicants as part of the selection process. The first step in the selection process is initial selection: which shows the human resources department which applicants meet the basic criteria for the position in question. Requisite training and educational background, for example, help human resources know which applicants are qualified for the position. Substantive selection incorporates the battery of testing that can be used in certain organizations. The human resources department at this stage may use written tests, some of which may involve types of intelligence, moral reasoning, or personality. In some organizations, human resources departments might offer performance tests. Performance tests measure how well the employee would match up to the specific rigors of the job. For example, a typing test is a type of performance test for data entry personnel. Interviews are commonly used as substantive selection procedures. The final step in the selection process is contingent selection, and drug testing falls in this category. Employment is contingent on the applicant passing the test.

It is important to note that employers are not testing for alcohol, which can be a major source of accidents, absenteeism, and other work-related problems. Human resources personnel need to know what they are allowed to do under the law, to avoid having their company be sued by applicants who experienced invasions of privacy during the employee selection procedure. Even if the employer wants to know about both drug and alcohol use, it may not be permissible to request such information because alcohol is a legal drug (text).