So one of the lads at my workplace has just been fired for failing a drug test on his return from Amsterdam. He foolishly told a few of us that he’d “sampled the goods for old time’s sake”, for the first time in 20 years. Of course somebody has grassed him up and one ■■■■ test later he’s unemployed.
Now I definitely think he was foolish for broadcasting this fact, but what I was surprised to learn was that the test doesn’t detect the active ingredient or current intoxication. It tests for a byproduct which can be detected up to three weeks later. The medical guy admitted that it was very unlikely he had any of the active ingredient in his system and agreed it was a bit like sacking somebody for drink driving several weeks after they’d been ■■■■■■■
As I said, the guy was a bit foolish but seems unfair to be sacked when you’ve broken no laws and aren’t intoxicated (surely health and safety is the main driver here).
When at Land Rover, we were regularly swab tested and this only showed 24 hours previous as it tested for intoxication. Some lads used to smoke on a Friday and be fine for work on Monday.
I had a urine test a year ago when I was going for a job.
I was told I had the right to ask for it to be sent off for further analysis IF I failed, it would then determine levels of what they found and if I was “intoxicated”.
If it’s the same test I had, it tested for everything from legal medication to class a drugs. But after a fail, it has to be sent off as the test is only an indicator (and could be wrong or pick something else up).
Something doesn’t smell right here, further tests would be able to tell what was in his system and could help backup his defence that he took it legally a while ago.
If they dismissed simply off an indicator test. He has a real case for unfair dismissal.
This website will tell you some good info on drug testing:
Even if it’s written in the contract it’s a random test and if positive he would be suspended with pay for further investigation
Very few companies would leave themselves open with instant dismissal
You should all get together and take turns in giving the Roger Hunt who ran to the boss like the ■■■■ snake he is, a ■■■■ good kicking.
I hate and detest ■■■■ s like that .
It would have been just tough luck if it had just been a random test, you pay your money and you take your chance but it was all caused by a pure ■■■■■
Bring on the old ''If it was your wife/daughter/sister he killed ‘’ etc etc.
Too right, I’d want to kill him.
Fact is he killed nobody and the ingredient in there that stones you was out of his system as the medical (expert) guy said, …so shut the ■■■■ up before you start.
It all depends on company policy, if you have a policy or it states in your contract that traces of a drug in your system are gross misconduct then the fella is gone. If not then he is probably still funked as the test has shown he is a drug user so on 50/50 probability (based on civil court) he will probably have no grounds.
He will have grounds
I take co Codamol which is on my records which will show up as codeine on a drug test and they can’t sack me for it because it’s for medical reasons.
The guy in question is a good bloke and been there for quite a few years. I’m 99% sure who snitched him up as everybody else in the canteen at the time was sound and there was only a random Lodge Tyre guy aside from us and the guy I suspect.
The one I suspect is a ‘senior driver’ and bit of a brown noser. Gets a small pay increase for doing various spot checks and tacho downloads etc. Also gets to stop drivers of his choice and make them show him where the wheel brace/medikit is etc, make them do their vehicle checks with him watching. Seems to love this and tried to bollock me the other week because the plating certificate wasn’t in its frame when I returned to the yard - it always falls down the side of the seat so I just leave it and put it back when doing my final checks. Cheeky ■■■■■■ must’ve actually looked around my cab for something to gripe about whilst I was getting a coffee (we have to register 15 mins other work at end of shift).
karl67:
He will have grounds
I take co Codamol which is on my records which will show up as codeine on a drug test and they can’t sack me for it because it’s for medical reasons.
Lawful medication is always accepted, or ally the D&A tester will ask are you on medication, have you taken etc etc in last 48/72 hours.
You have advised your employer and it’s on file, he had traces of an illegal substance in his system,
His own fault, for going around the yard acting like Jack the lad bragging, further more, who is too say this test was one of numerous issues with his workplace record.
He has no grounds if it’s in his contract of a zero tolerance to D&A in his contract of employment.
discoman:
His own fault, for going around the yard acting like Jack the lad bragging.
Yep that’s fair,…if you are doing anything slightly or otherwise that is dodgy, only an idiot goes around telling everybody.
It’s usually those that have led a sheltered never do wrong type of life, and they feel good about themselves having gone slightly off the rails for once…
You keep it to yourself or on who needs to know basis …That is rule 1 type of stuff.
In this sort of scenario, who gets tested seems to be at the whim of the office staff. If they are looking to make an example of someone they will of course test someone with a perceived probability of failing the drug test. I guess there is nothing stopping holiday destinations and hearsay coming into it. I don’t think it is particularly right that it can be done on a whim and it does seem to empower the office staff to take action that is a bit humiliating to be honest. If the test had been passed, this driver is going to feel aggrieved at being suspected and relations will probably deteriorate rapidly.
I guess if the guy has been there for a few years, then the drug test does indicate that drugs have been taken while in the employment. Those are the parameters, so the easiest thing to do is simply not partake.
Noremac:
In this sort of scenario, who gets tested seems to be at the whim of the office staff. If they are looking to make an example of someone they will of course test someone with a perceived probability of failing the drug test. I guess there is nothing stopping holiday destinations and hearsay coming into it. I don’t think it is particularly right that it can be done on a whim and it does seem to empower the office staff to take action that is a bit humiliating to be honest. If the test had been passed, this driver is going to feel aggrieved at being suspected and relations will probably deteriorate rapidly.
I guess if the guy has been there for a few years, then the drug test does indicate that drugs have been taken while in the employment. Those are the parameters, so the easiest thing to do is simply not partake.
A proper company should have a clear protocol about testing to ensure it isn’t done on a whim. Whether or not that’s the case here I haven’t a clue. But if someone is reported as suspect and no tests are done, who is in the mire then?
karl67:
He will have grounds
I take co Codamol which is on my records which will show up as codeine on a drug test and they can’t sack me for it because it’s for medical reasons.
The same here, if I was tested at the roadside I would be over with a cocktail of drugs, but as its prescription I am quite legal to drive.
Tailschwing:
The one I suspect is a ‘senior driver’ and bit of a brown noser. Gets a small pay increase for doing various spot checks and tacho downloads etc. Also gets to stop drivers of his choice and make them show him where the wheel brace/medikit is etc, make them do their vehicle checks with him watching. Seems to love this and tried to bollock me the other week because the plating certificate wasn’t in its frame when I returned to the yard - it always falls down the side of the seat so I just leave it and put it back when doing my final checks. Cheeky [zb] must’ve actually looked around my cab for something to gripe about whilst I was getting a coffee (we have to register 15 mins other work at end of shift).
People actually put up with being treated like this■■?
I’d be telling him to clear off. I might have myself out of a job but I couldn’t put up with being treated like that. I’m a grown man, not a small child who needs supervising to do basic tasks.
If I knew he was going into my cab I’d make sure to lock the doors. And if he found a way in I’d accuse him publically of being a tea leaf and saying I had a 20 quid note which was lifted by him. As he likes to humiliate and degrade and I’d demand he turned his pockets out etc.
Tbh he sounds like he needs a good smack. I really can’t understand how anyone puts up with it. I did see a Malcolm drivers poncing around with ‘senior driver’ high viz on. So I had to humiliate him and ask if they made all the old boys wear them to warn the normal drivers that they were a liability. He didn’t like that.
karl67:
He will have grounds
I take co Codamol which is on my records which will show up as codeine on a drug test and they can’t sack me for it because it’s for medical reasons.
The same here, if I was tested at the roadside I would be over with a cocktail of drugs, but as its prescription I am quite legal to drive.
…That is rule 1 type of stuff.
