Question for people with office jobs

[icybonghitman]

I'm currently working as an engineer in Texas and considering moving to Colorado. I am just wondering, for all of you office workers, what type of job do you have and do they randomly drug test?

I know I could pass the initial screening, but if I got my MMJ card, I couldn't pass random tests of course. Since their is no protection for employees who use MMJ, I'm just wondering what you office workers do considering how common it is to use random drug testing, especially for big companies.

[stuartambient]

i think there must be any number of variations and it would just depend. Ask, make it your first interviewee question :jointsmile:

I'm joking of course but from what I've experienced it "just depends". More or almost all do drug testing initially either prior to start date or during the interviewing process. After your hire it's going to depend on the situation whether you get regular, random or spot testing.

Hope that helps.

[COzigzag]

I work for an engineering company in Denver. They did not require a drug test upon hiring and I have never taken a drug test specifically for the company itself. They don't even have a drug policy.

The only drug test I have been required to take was when our company won a contract and the owner of that contract required drug testing for any employee who worked on that specific project. The contract owner had a drug policy and everybody working on that project had to comply.

Good luck in your search!

[lampost]

I'm also an engineer. I've worked for a few top-ranked ENR firms and ALL of them required pre-employment drug screen. If you are working for a small business, chances are they won't waste the money, they'll just try to really get a feel for you in the interview.

The only time I've been faced with randoms is when you get on the construction side of things. If you take a field/project engineer position you're likely to have randoms. Also, if you're working on a government contract you'll likely have randoms, even at a very small firm (its always part of federal contracts).

I spent a year having randoms. Look into this fake urine product:

Quick Fix

There's tons of good information about it in the drug-testing section of this site. I got high every night during randoms. Quick Fix worked without any problems, although you may be nervous the first time you tried it.

But things are a little more laid back up here than TX. I worked at a small firm where the boss smoked. I didn't find out until after I left, but I think he sensed that I did and was still a good worker and liked me for it. Its not a big deal, just make sure you don't tell people you work with. It works the same here as it does down there. Your medical card will offer you absolutely ZERO protection from being let go. Good luck!

[Reenster]

I recently read about a Denver City worker that got in an accident while working and according to policy had to take a drug test. Since he was a MMJ patient he, ofcourse, tested positive for THC.

Not sure of specifics, if the employee seemed "under the influence" while working but either way it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Here is the link:

Denver Worker Blames Medical Pot For Accident - cbs4denver.com (http://cbs4denver.com/investigates/medical.marijuana.denver.2.1441725.html)

[icybonghitman]

Thanks for all the help guys. Very informative. I was just trying to get an idea of what the general views on drug testing are up there.

Things are very different in Texas. I've been hair tested for a co-op position! It seems to me that CO is far less strict with drug testing and this is good news. Also, I get the feeling that some of you guys are Civil Engineers (since you mention contracts and construction) where I am Mechanical, so hopefully I have even less reason to worry.

Thanks again:thumbsup:

[davo420]

Check out this article. Apparently this could be an issue in CO.

You have to sign up to view the whole article. I read the hard copy today. Interesting article to say the least.



Friday, January 22, 2010
Medical marijuana a dilemma for employers
Denver Business Journal - by Renee McGaw

When it comes to medical marijuana, Colorado employers are caught between conflicting laws.

The stateâ??s medical marijuana amendment, passed by voters in 2000, says that employers donâ??t have to accommodate medical marijuana use in the workplace.

But another Colorado law, enacted a few years ago to protect cigarette smokers, prohibits firing employees for engaging in legal activities during nonworking hours.

That suggests that people who smoke medical marijuana before arriving at work could be protected under state law, whether their employers like it or not. And with roughly 30,000 Coloradans now estimated to be qualified to use medical marijuana, employers are growing increasingly uneasy.


Medical marijuana a dilemma for employers - Denver Business Journal: (http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2010/01/25/story3.html)

[davo420]

Should put this in as well..

Basically they had a few lawyers in the article. The consensus seemed to be that these lawyers are recommending that their clients change the verbiage of their Employee Handbooks to clearly state that employees have to abide by state and/or federal law.

[quagland]

i'm in IT for a high profile company. they do not drug test, and there are many employees with cards as well.

[stuartambient]

i'm in IT for a high profile company. they do not drug test, and there are many employees with cards as well.

i've been in IT here in Colorado and elsewhere , some high profile, some no profile :wtf:

Just curious if you can drop a hint at who it is. Anyway, that's good that there are some employers still left who are not so crazed on all the pre employment tests etc.

[quagland]

i've been in IT here in Colorado and elsewhere , some high profile, some no profile :wtf:

Just curious if you can drop a hint at who it is. Anyway, that's good that there are some employers still left who are not so crazed on all the pre employment tests etc.

Not really...um, there are quite a few millionaires employed there. Any other hint would be a dead giveaway.

[ThaiBuddhaMan]

I've been in CO for about 10yrs now. Started here in the military, where due to my clearance, was UA'ed about every 1-2 months. After getting out and having worked for several major employers in the Denver area, I have never been UA'ed. From what I've observed the only employers who test are federal contractors & employers who don't require a high level of responsibility from their employees. Now I have heard from some of my friends, they were UA'ed as part of their initial employment interviewing, but once hired - have never been tested again.

My advice - stay clean until you have been hired somewhere. While interviewing at various places, ask here or somewhere if people know that particular companies policy. Much easier than trying to give a blanket statement for all of CO.

[lampost]

I've been in CO for about 10yrs now. Started here in the military, where due to my clearance, was UA'ed about every 1-2 months. After getting out and having worked for several major employers in the Denver area, I have never been UA'ed. From what I've observed the only employers who test are federal contractors & employers who don't require a high level of responsibility from their employees. Now I have heard from some of my friends, they were UA'ed as part of their initial employment interviewing, but once hired - have never been tested again.

My advice - stay clean until you have been hired somewhere. While interviewing at various places, ask here or somewhere if people know that particular companies policy. Much easier than trying to give a blanket statement for all of CO.

I think MOST places with career-level jobs, that are over like 20-30 employees will do a pre-employment screen. But you're right, randoms are far less prevalent. Its all on a case by case basis anyway like you said.

[PufferLungs]

I worked in the construction industry for 20yrs. As a field worker, I was always required to take drug tests. Usually just a UA. I work with mechanical engineers all the time. It's part of the HVAC industry.

When I was promoted to an office job as a Project Manager and Estimator - no more drug testing.

I now work as a project manager on the propulsion and guidance systems for UAV's. No drug testing.

As far as being fired for being high on the job - you deserve it if thats what you chose to do. Getting high on the job is just irresponsible IMO. It gives the entire medical marijuana movement a bad name. The problem is how to test or prove that you were or weren't high at the time of the accident or infraction that got you into trouble in the first place. Best thing to do is not get high at work - before work or during your lunch break. The boss is paying you to do a job based on your performance in the job interview - you weren't high at the interview were you? No. So don't get high at work. EARN your money and give him an honest days work.

I never smoked on the job anyway so I am not worried about if I can be fired for it. I wait until after I get home and then I take a few puffs on the back deck before the kids get home from school.