PetsMart wants my Peepee

[Redith]

So PetsMart called me today after I had been doing interviews for them this week and said they want to do urinalysis on me. So either they have a urine fetish or I got the job of dog trainer!

[Tsuki]

Wait
Why do they need a human urine test?
Is it for some sort of drug testing?
O_O

[cowmuflage]

Most likely drug testing.

[Redith]

Most likely drug testing.

yes drug testing

[Morven]

I have to say that the American fetish for drug-testing annoys me, but grats!

[Jelani]

Grats!!

[Worba]

Here's hoping they want the rest of you, too!

Sounds like a more sensible choice than the academy.

[zedxrgal]

I have to say that the American fetish for drug-testing annoys me, but grats!

Comical statement but it's not a fetish. It's a necessity these days. Sadly drugs run rampant in the US and people think it's "ok" to go to work loaded and high to the 9's. Which creates a liability for themselves and anyone or thing around them. So now most major companies drug test. Cheaper to drug test then it is to pay out on a wrongful death suit or something along those lines.

And way to go Red.

[Wain]

Though not fond of drugs myself I think it's unfairly intrusive to drug test employees "just because". And no real indicator of performance. There are plenty of people who would use drugs recreationally but be perfectly fine during work hours and work hard. Then there are plenty of people who don't take drugs but will be terrible workers (maybe because they were up half the night playing WoW ). That's where they need to me reprimanded, and then sacked if they don't improve.

For select jobs, I can see drug testing could well be a necessity. And in this particular case I wonder if it might be that Redith would have access to veterinary drugs on premises. But drug testing someone who is going to be a cleaner or sandwich maker, or even a manager, I believe is just self-indulgent behaviour by companies that have too much control.

[cowmuflage]

Though not fond of drugs myself I think it's unfairly intrusive to drug test employees "just because". And no real indicator of performance. There are plenty of people who would use drugs recreationally but be perfectly fine during work hours and work hard. Then there are plenty of people who don't take drugs but will be terrible workers (maybe because they were up half the night playing WoW ). That's where they need to me reprimanded, and then sacked if they don't improve.

For select jobs, I can see drug testing could well be a necessity. And in this particular case I wonder if it might be that Redith would have access to veterinary drugs on premises. But drug testing someone who is going to be a cleaner or sandwich maker, or even a manager, I believe is just self-indulgent behaviour by companies that have too much control.

I know I don't think they can just ask for tests here. I don't think.

[zedxrgal]

Not saying I entirely agree with it and I do agree with you Wain but it's how companies are these days. Ridiculous yes. But allow me to share this story. This happened to my cousin who was a groomer at PetSmart.
A co-worker of hers came in high (from pot smoking) and started to work on a regular customers dog. Needless to say she ended up cutting the dog and a vein close to the dog's neck. The dog almost died and the owner sued the Orangevale, CA PetSmart not just for all the vet bill to save the dogs life but for her time off work, etc. The groomer at first lied and said she was "tired" and that's how the mistake was made. Her co-workers knew she was high and basically ratted her out. Here is the horrible part. Everyone on staff in the grooming department when the incident happened got fired. Including my cousin. So five people lost their jobs because one person was negligent.
I am not saying this is the cause of PetSmart and other companies drugs testing but it is to avoid things like this happening.
As a dog trainer I do agree with drug testing.
And after working in the medical field ................... urine testing is a very minor test and doesn't look for hardcore drugs. Only things like vicodin, pot, opiates etc

[Worba]

If there's a US-centric problem here it's not that employers do drug testing per se, but rather the litigation-happy culture here that places a higher penalty on them if they don't test, and something goes wrong, and the employee happened to be high at the time.

[Korii]

Eh....it's not just the litigation-happy culture, it's the general culture of overindulgence that we as a society have....Moderation (on the whole) barely exists, whether it's food, alcohol, drugs, lawsuits, etc. If it can be done, it will be done...regularly and to excess.

Speaking as someone who has been a hiring manager, however...things like drug tests, background checks, credit checks, etc., are all done to protect the company. The company doesn't know the applicant from a hole in the ground. All the hiring manager has to go on is the application and the interviews. The hiring managers are playing a game of odds every time they hire someone: "Will this person fit with the company?", "Will this person up and quit in 3 weeks because another offer comes along?", "Will this person be an asset or liability?". It's all a game of chance, and that chance could lead to the company losing out on hundreds of dollars in training a new employee, all the way to thousands or millions of dollars in lawsuits.

In my last job, if we made a certain type of mistake, we were fired. Period. No second chances. That type of mistake costs the company (on average) $25k in lawsuits for each incident. (this has nothing to do with injury/illness, etc., just a few minutes of "embarrassment" is all it took.)

I personally don't like the idea of having my credit score checked every time I am a serious applicant for a job, but at the same time, it's the company checking for potential risks to itself. (I still don't think it's right, but...)

[Vephriel]

I've never experienced or even heard of any jobs here that require drug testing, I had no idea it was such a common occurrence for more or less ordinary jobs in the US.

[Gimlion]

I've never experienced or even heard of any jobs here that require drug testing, I had no idea it was such a common occurrence for more or less ordinary jobs in the US.

It is incredibly common here. Particularly for jobs that hire teens, as they have to 'be cautious with them', just more stereotyping if you ask me, but it's true.

[Korii]

I've never experienced or even heard of any jobs here that require drug testing, I had no idea it was such a common occurrence for more or less ordinary jobs in the US.

It actually depends on the state.....some don't allow pre-employment drug screening, some do, and some allow it after a job offer has been accepted, but before the starting date. *shakes head* it's.....odd.

[Meggers]

Though not fond of drugs myself I think it's unfairly intrusive to drug test employees "just because". And no real indicator of performance. There are plenty of people who would use drugs recreationally but be perfectly fine during work hours and work hard. Then there are plenty of people who don't take drugs but will be terrible workers (maybe because they were up half the night playing WoW ). That's where they need to me reprimanded, and then sacked if they don't improve.

For select jobs, I can see drug testing could well be a necessity. And in this particular case I wonder if it might be that Redith would have access to veterinary drugs on premises. But drug testing someone who is going to be a cleaner or sandwich maker, or even a manager, I believe is just self-indulgent behaviour by companies that have too much control.

Yeah but its a case of the few ruining it for the many. I personally don't mind drug testing.

[Redith]

Though not fond of drugs myself I think it's unfairly intrusive to drug test employees "just because". And no real indicator of performance. There are plenty of people who would use drugs recreationally but be perfectly fine during work hours and work hard. Then there are plenty of people who don't take drugs but will be terrible workers (maybe because they were up half the night playing WoW ). That's where they need to me reprimanded, and then sacked if they don't improve.

For select jobs, I can see drug testing could well be a necessity. And in this particular case I wonder if it might be that Redith would have access to veterinary drugs on premises. But drug testing someone who is going to be a cleaner or sandwich maker, or even a manager, I believe is just self-indulgent behaviour by companies that have too much control.

Yeah but its a case of the few ruining it for the many. I personally don't mind drug testing.

I dont mind drug testing, however I mind the hell out of jobs that decide to check your credit score before hiring

[Worba]

Eh....it's not just the litigation-happy culture, it's the general culture of overindulgence that we as a society have....Moderation (on the whole) barely exists, whether it's food, alcohol, drugs, lawsuits, etc. If it can be done, it will be done...regularly and to excess.

Overindulgence is a worldwide thing though - just a matter of supply and demand really. Whereas litigation madness is something we can lay an (at least somewhat) more exclusive claim to.

Although, we're not actually at the top of the charts there either (close though)...

[Splaticus]

I opened this thread thinking peepee was a pet name XD I was like oh this person must be like minded as my cat's name was poopoo-cat!