Merry Christmas from the Banner staff
The
Volume IX, Number 13
Proudly serving the UliCA community since 1982
December 11, 1986
Graduates can expect
more drug testing
By Kelly Smith
Staff Writer
Staff photo—Sarah Gottfried
A white Christmas?
Asheville has been brightened by white lights this year for the
Christmas season. These trees, located in front of Memorial Mis
sion Hospital, are part of the display that runs down Biltmore
Avenue.
Nearly 30 percent of employers of
college graduates now screen job
applicants for drug use and another
20 percent plan to adopt the prac
tice within the next two years, ac
cording to a new study by the Col
lege Placement Coimcil (CPC).
"At this point there is a 50 per
cent chance that you will be
screened for drugs when applying
for a job," said David Johnston, ca
reer planning and placement director
at UNCA.
Employee testing isn’t anything
new. In the 1950s, companies got
information on their employees
through psychological profiles, em
ployment histories, criminal records
and personal information.
The recent increase in the drug
testing of employees and applicants
has produced hot debate over
whether the tests are constitutional,
but despite the growing number of
lawsuits, courts have so far upheld
the legality of drug testing.
At present only government work
ers have constitutional protection
against unreasonable search and sei
zure by their employers.
Many companies located in west
ern North Carolina such as Westing-
house Electric Corp., Duke Power
Co. and Carolina Power and Light
Co. use the relatively inexpensive
EMIT (Enzyme Multiplied Immunoas
say Technique) for drug testing.
This test is often unreliable. It is
often less accurate than the breath
test that law enforcement agencies
use to detect alcohol, according to
Arthur McBay, chief toxologist with
the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office.
Another drawback to the test is
that it doesn’t measure the level of
impairment at the time of testing. It
only detects drugs in the system,
not when they were taken. The test
can detect cocaine up to three days
after consumption, and marijuana as
long as three weeks later, said Mc
Bay.
Furthermore, he added, over-the-
counter drugs such as "Advil" are
detectable with the test and then
confused with other drugs.
Employers do have good reason
for, making the tests mandatory,
according to the CPC’s report.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
estimates that drug and alcohol a-
buse among workers costs employers
$60 billion a year through lost pro
ductivity, absenteeism, accidents and
theft of company property.
Of the 497 organizations that were
included in the CPC report, 140 re
ported that they required drug
screemng for job applicants. Nearly
all these employers screen employees
and applicants for both marijuana
(97.9 percent) and hard drugs (98.6
pcrcent).
Safety ranks first as a reason lor
the screening. Security, product
quality and service are also major
conceras. .
Employers do not usually disqual
ify an applicant if he fails the ini
tial test. "Many employers will have
another, more sophisicated test
done," said Johnston.