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Monday
January 21 2002 10:00 PM ET Pre-employment drug screenings have recently become standard procedure in the workplace. They are so common that many people, especially younger workers, don't think twice about taking them. Even those who find them distasteful simply shrug their shoulders and sigh, "Well, what can you do?" I'm writing this to tell you what you can do. Drug screenings are not an either/or proposition: either take one or find another job. There is a third option. Refusal and Negotiation Refusal and negotiation was my response to a large publisher that recently offered me a position. I told this company that drug screenings are intrusive and that I could never take one. I was surprised when they counter offered to waive the test. They would waive the test provided that I sign a form stating that I do not use illegal drugs. I discussed this with them for three days. I totally disagreed with their philosophy and approach, so I declined the job offer. Their action suggests two things: First, the economy was good and it was an employees' market (the economy has changed for the worse since my experience). They were willing to forgo their policy to fill a position. It also suggests something more important: People who are opposed to these screenings are not powerless. If an employer requires this test, you do not have to either comply or find another job. You can negotiate. The great history of labor has shown that the employer-employee relationship is not a one-way street. There is power in numbers, but there is also individual power. My experience demonstrates that individual actions can make a difference.
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