Drug Testing of Workers

The following sample essay on Drug Testing of Workers analyzes whether drug testing is mandatory or whether it should be voluntary.

In relation to this, the authors present situations wherein it is allowed to request an employee to submit to drug testing, but again it may not be required of the employee. Also prohibited are the use of coercive measures to make the employee submit to drug testing such as the threat of losing employment or even certain employment benefits. It must be pointed out that while the authors do take a stand for the protection of the privacy of employees, the arguments that have been presented must be rejected for lack of sufficient basis and alternatives for the following reasons.

First of all, no right, even those granted by the constitution, is absolute. Every right that a person is granted is always subject to certain limitations and restrictions. In the same way that a person’s right to privacy may be invaded on the strength of a search warrant.

The setting of being in a workplace is not so much different that it is capable of being given a different treatment. In fact, more restrictions on the right to privacy can even be imposed because of the setting. It must be remembered that in the sphere of human rights, there is a correlation between the rights of one individual and that of another.

One is only free to act within the bounds of his privacy or rights as long as such acts do not unduly or excessively interfere with the rights of other people.

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As the authors would argue, drug testing can be implemented, but the participation by the employees must be voluntary. This view cannot be sustained in line with the argument that no right is absolute. The reason behind this is that there is a greater concern behind all of this and this is public safety. While it may be a restraint on one’s privacy, it is for a greater cause; a cause that everyone in the country has submitted to and vowed to uphold.

The second and perhaps more compelling reason why drug testing should not be made voluntarily is the fact that it does not technically violate the constitutional right to privacy. The authors extend the coverage of the right to privacy to drug testing. In a long line of cases decided upon by the United States Supreme Court, it has been consistently held that physical testing of an individual can be compelled. There is no violation of the right to privacy in this case unless the test was carried out without due process.

In this case, requiring an employee who is suspected of taking harmful drugs or those that can affect work performance can be required without worry of violating the employee’s right to privacy. While the arguments presented by the authors are not clearly substantiated in the article, the must, however, still be lauded for their efforts in trying to uphold the individual’s right to privacy. Drug testing can be used as a means of harassing employees or even as a way of firing those employees who are unsatisfactory without going through the entire legal process of giving notice.

No legal system, no business model is perfect. There will always be a struggle between the rights of employees and that of the employers. The solution may or may not be far away, but one thing remains clear. Until and unless a certain compromise can be made to thus balance these corresponding rights there will be more controversy surrounding this issue. The employee is already well protected under the Labor Laws of this land and his effort is greatly appreciated yet one must also consider that without the employer or capital most of these employees would not have any jobs at all.