This is the part of my job i hate

[distortionhead]

I got a the news today that tomorrow i have to fire 3 people that have been with the company for nearly 27 years.

Two of them are only 3 years from retiring and the third just over 5 years. In their contract they have to forgo our portion of their pension ( the union agreed if any person is fired for a list of reasons the company can and will retain the portion of our $ for $ match we provided).

But all 3 first failed a drug exam and when the union demanded a retest they all failed it a second time and 2 of the 3 had higher levels then they did on the previous exam. To make it worse if they lost their job because of a drug related issue they are exempt from unemployment.

So tomorrow i have to let them go and to make things worse one of the 3 is a friend of my fathers. This is a guy i have known my entire life and it is going to be just all out bad. To top it all off he and his wife bought a new house a little over a year ago...

[aleclee]

That's a drag but if you know that you're gonna have to pee in the cup, you should either stay clean or find a new job. The fact that two of 'em had higher levels on the retest is just ridiculous.

It's a drag to be unemployed but this sounds like it was totally preventable.

[distortionhead]

i agree the hard part is i was talking to my father about it and he said that he knew he did smoke pot but not to the extent of the levels he tested at....

But my father told me basically the same thing you had said. It still sucks my mom had no sympathy for him (she hates drugs) but the old man said just do it and remember HE DID THIS TO HIMSELF!!!!

still sucks

[DankStar]

Be sure to use the phrase "don't kill the messenger"

[uOpt]

Well you should be glad there is a clear-cut reason for it. If it was for performance that would be tougher.

Out of curiosity you say the levels were high. Does your company tolerate or is willing to talk about it if low levels are detected?

[Lazarus1140]

Yep, it sucks you have to do it, and it sucks that they put themselves in that position.

People seem to forget that there are consequences for failing to observe the rules. The people who failed twice really have it bad ... either ignorance or addiction or both.

I am particularly sorry for the innocent spouses and family members that will suffer.

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen if your company doesn't offer them rehab. I've seen it happen tons of times. Probationary periods are one thing, but vested employees are usually treated as a medical condition the first time.

[tone4days]

sorry to read it

i can sympathize with your situation as i have had to perform layoffs and firings before - as recently as last week (guy lied on his resume / application / verification forms)

"i wish i had didnt have to do this, but policy ties my hand and i have no choice. i really wish you all the best of luck."

[tone4days]

Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen if your company doesn't offer them rehab. I've seen it happen tons of times. Probationary periods are one thing, but vested employees are usually treated as a medical condition the first time.

not when part of a CBA

[Lucid_Lunatic]

not when part of a CBA

Collective Bargaining Agreement? I'm not sure we even have those in my state. Then again maybe we do. I know most municipal jobs and factory jobs here have to offer treatment before firing. Although, they can demote someone, just not fire them. I had one buddy a year away from retirement as an engineer with the fire department. An old woman ran over the parked firetruck, but all the crew on the scene had to be drug tested by policy. He got popped with a little mj in his system. He went to rehab for 90 days and was demoted from engineer to firefighter. Ended up costing him a couple hundred a month on his retirement.

[Mr 9finger]

I think it depends on the specifics of their contract whether they have to offer rehab before termination. A lot of places have forced a zero tolerance on union shops.

[TheLivingDead]

Lame for everyone involved. They should've played it smart though...

[Bfeeney]

Collective Bargaining Agreement? I'm not sure we even have those in my state. Then again maybe we do. I know most municipal jobs and factory jobs here have to offer treatment before firing. Although, they can demote someone, just not fire them. I had one buddy a year away from retirement as an engineer with the fire department. An old woman ran over the parked firetruck, but all the crew on the scene had to be drug tested by policy. He got popped with a little mj in his system. He went to rehab for 90 days and was demoted from engineer to firefighter. Ended up costing him a couple hundred a month on his retirement.

I think I heard that too but the source wasn't very credible so I never though anything of it.


At least there's jobs out there now other than the burger flipper stuff. A block away there is a State Farm office with a ?Rep.? hiring sign out front.

[distortionhead]

We have a ZERO tolerance policy on certain things and drug use is one of them. We dont have to offer anything to them as far as rehab. It states in our agreement that the use of any illegal substances is prohibited. You can protest within 24 hours of being notified of a failure of a screening. If you protest then you are sent back to the clinic and a second exam is given.

Not only do we (the company) but the union office gets a copy of the report. You are after the first exam suspended w/o pay until the second test comes back. If its a pass then you are paid for your time off (although after easily 100 plus cases i have never seen a false posative come back nor if the person failed the first test have i seen a pass on the second)

It seems more and more we are encountering a lot of the younger employees failing drug tests. Its scary to think that its not only POT but there is more often than not Cocaine, Meth and a ton of pill heads. If they can produce a letter from the Dr. office then it is dismissed. And i know what some people are thinking the Hippa laws. But it doesnt apply to conditions being treated but on validiation prescription that have or have not been given...

anyway its getting bad out their

[uOpt]

What area is that in? US I assume?

[Lucid_Lunatic]

I always passed drug tests by having someone else piss in a medicine bottle and wrapping it with those "Hot Hands" pocket warmers so it would be the right temp when I poured it in their test cup.



This has been a PSA from Lucid

[some_dude]

The funny thing is that they've probably been decent employees and their dismissal will be a bigger loss to the company than their drug use ever was.

[LesStrat]

Dumb.

[LesStrat]

I disagree. The employees shoulder all the blame.

[newking70]

you might want to wear a bullet proof vest to work the next day.