To Pee or not to Pee

January 25, 2006 6:57 AM

A close friend of mine has a job interview today for a permanent-placement position through a personnel agency.

We’ll call this interview a “surprise” interview because my friend was not currently seeking new employment but was contacted via email with a new employment prospect. A nice good employment prospect.

The agency forwarded an application via email as asked that it be filled out and brought to the interview. The application was from the agency, not the potential employer.

This friend has some concern that if hired they would not pass a drug screen due to some recent recreational pot-smoking.

The application states nothing regarding a potential drug-screen nor does the website where one would go job-searching.

The questions are: Do outside agencies always require a drug-test or would this be up to the potential employer?

If there is no mention of a drug screen on the application, does this mean that this particular company does not screen potentials?

The root question being “how to these agencies go about their business” with regards to placing someone with excellent credentials at a great job on the assumption that this person did not get to where they are today without being an excellent employee.

When and if someone were to fail a pre-employment drug screen, how are they notified of such?
Would it be a standard letter saying “sorry, we found another candidate” or would it be “dear applicant, you tested positive for drugs x, y and z and have withdrawn your application”?

Through MY experiences I have learned that you can indeed get high on the way to a drug test and still be offered the position. And I also know that people have indeed been declined employment because of a positive drug test.

I searched http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/12494 this thread and was enlightened but needed more specific answers

posted by Makebusy7 to work & money (5 comments total)

Do outside agencies always require a drug-test or would this be up to the potential employer?
No and Yes.

If there is no mention of a drug screen on the application, does this mean that this particular company does not screen potentials?
No.

As to the rest, there's no universal answer.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 7:13 AM on January 25, 2006

I recently accepted a permanent position through a staffing agency. When I signed up with the agency, I told them that I would refuse any drug test or criminal background check. Why? I felt that I'd rather work for a smaller (usually) company that hires based on their perception of personality and skill, not on drug test results. If they can't tell that I'm competent from interviewing me, I don't need that job. The staffing agency asked, "Would you pass a drug test?" I answered, "Yes, but I won't take one." I gave the reason above, and they seemed impressed that I was standing up for my values and potentially turning down work. They placed me in a few days, and, although I'm far from home, the job has been fantastic. (I can't answer your other questions, though, as I have no useful answers.)
posted by wzcx at 7:45 AM on January 25, 2006

I wouldn't worry about it.

I know that the service that I work for will have you fill out a permission slip for a back ground check. Since a drug screen requires more, that probably isn't included in the standard form and would be handled if it came up. I haven't read it recently.

The thing to remember though is that those all cost money, so you won't be screened unless the company considering placement requests it. This is particularly true for a direct hire (perm) position.
posted by willnot at 8:14 AM on January 25, 2006

Anywhere I have worked that a drug test was required, those who failed were notified by telephone and told of the failure -- though not the x/y/z specifics, unless the applicant asked.
posted by gnomeloaf at 8:20 AM on January 25, 2006

Oh, and as to your question of how you would be notified. With background screening, there are adverse letters that must go out by law. They say something to the effect of we identified this problem, and then they tell you where to go if you think something was in error.

Those must go out before a decision is made so that you have an opportunity to correct errors, and then after some mandated time period, you'll get a final decision letter.

I'm not sure if the same exists for a drug screen, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't either since there isn't a problem of confusing you with somebody with a similar name.
posted by willnot at 8:22 AM on January 25, 2006