Among employers, there is growing awareness of yet another factor with regard their employees' health that they have to take into account. The apparent prevalence of illegal drug use at work has, in the United States, led private companies to ask workers to submit to drug tests either as a requirement for getting the job, or on a random basis.

There are two main sides to this issue that will be explored. First, the company's responsibility for employee and workplace safety (with regard to employee drug use). Second, is the employee's right to privacy. Some would argue that indiscriminate testing of employees for drug use is an intrusive and degrading process that undermines fairness and privacy in the workplace. Is drug testing a growth industry? Do the employee's fourth amendment rights exceed the company's responsibility to provide a safe environment? In addition, we will investigate the effectiveness of random drug testing, as well as, the possible drawbacks.

We as business managers and leaders must discover the truth of issues, such as this, in order to make informed and appropriate decisions. These choices will affect employ

Walsh. "Technical, Scientific and Procedural Issues of Employee Drug Testing: Consensus Report." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1990: 3.

Many companies use a urinalysis-screening test that has an error rate of about five percent; employees probably have the right to a second, more accurate test.

An important consideration regarding marijuana is the fact that the active ingredient has metabolites that can be detected up to three months after use. These are fat-soluble therefore a heavy person will remain positive to testing much longer than a thin one. The tests currently used show use, but not impairment. On the other hand, drugs such as cocaine are water-soluble and leave the system within hours. LSD and other hallucinagenics are undetectable by urinalysis, even if the

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Approximate Word count = 2584
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