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.

icybonghitman Reviewed by icybonghitman on 01-22-2010. Question for people with office jobs 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. Rating: 5

[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

[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:

[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.