Drugs test at work this morning

[LoliC90]

If you have smoked cannabis within the past week could this show up if tested.

When I was finished my nightshift this morning I was asked to go for a random drugs test where I had to provide a sample of my urine.

Worried I could lose my job now.

In certain professional posts drug testing is the norm - the police for eg for very obvious reasons. I am subject to them but in the position I hold it would be hugely hypocritical to enforce the law in drugs whilst taking them!

In a care setting it will not have the same consequences.
If anyone would 'get off'. A positive test just by asking for a retest what would be the point of a test in the first place ?!?
In the ops case the police will not be involved or interested.
In police custody suites any acquisitive crime suspect is tested. Often with a positive result - it's NOT an offence to test positive.
It's fine in that setting to offer help via drug services to try and stop the reason the crime was committed ( ie shop lifting etc)
There's some real gubbins being spouted in this thread I have to say.

• it's done it that setting that should say

No random drug testing in the NHS, if there was, half the hca’s, nurses and doctors I know would be sacked had plenty of medical professionals through a&e off their heads and we only have to report if they’re on duty at the time. Plus, I know some top consultants who like a sniff and a spliff on occasion. I’m not into drugs but if it doesn’t impact your work and you’re off shift and not due in the next morning, it’s got nothing to do with your work place!

Some of the comments on this thread are ridiculous. If she’s had one joint a week ago it’s not going to render her unfit to work in a care home. If she was in a safety critical role where there is zero tolerance of any substance use or positive tests, for example the railways or on an oil rig then she would know how strict the policy is and would have no one to blame but herself. But one joint a week earlier working in care? Come off it. There’s no reasonable way that’s going to render her unfit for work. It just smacks to me of the employer seeking to control staff’s lives out of work without any real justification.

OP I’d wait it out and see what comes of the test. You might be ok. If not and it looks like they might sack you, you can quit then.

It just smacks to me of the employer seeking to control staff’s lives out of work without any real justification.

As suggested upthread ... a very US notion. (I once went for a job which had an "attitude test". Not a competence test. An "attitude test". Questions such as "Tom, a friend of yours, confides that he occasionally smokes marijuana. Do you (a), (b), or (c) ...". None of the options was "mind my own business".

This was a US company based in the UK. Also they wouldn't hire smokers.

Also they wouldn't hire smokers.

Yes, many jobs in the US, particularly in health care do nicotine testing. It's a bit ridiculous really

depends on the job and the levels you’re testing for.

Anything that requires secrecy, or heavy machinery or driving or for you to be totally unimpaired then I can see the point of a v low limit. Cannabis also builds up so someone using a few times a week will be permanently under the influence to one degree or another.

Random use for a non critical (in the senses above) job is just pointless and controlling. If you’re a council housing officer or an admin assistant then really is a joint once a month critical? Nope.
If you’re keeping national secrets, bring an air traffic controller or a machinist or a truck driver, it’s a different matter.

Oh and the us company smoker thing is fairly common - healthcare insurance is a huge expense for companies and smokers have a 50:50 chance of dying from something directly caused by smoking, with a massively increased risk of many other ailments - it’s an economic call

No one has a conviction for testing positive to cannibis in their urine because it's not illegal to smoke it.
It is illegal if you are driving or doing a safety critical job.

Any news OP?

I've worked in a job where there's random drug testing. You know and agree to this as part of the T&C when you start.

OP the absolute best thing to do is admit nothing till you have to. If you admit to anything they have to sack you for gross misconduct whether your test comes back positive or negative. (know from previous experience, not as the one being sacked btw!).

It's a wake up call. You did a daft thing, you just have to wait now and hope it goes your way and you won't do it again.

My friend works for a company where random drug testing isn't usually carried out. A year or so ago they wanted to get rid of a member of staff, Liam, and a colleague of hers suggested they did a not at all random drug test on a carefully selected group of staff which just happened to include Liam (colleague had seen Liam out and about on Saturday nights...)
Liam got the sack and no further random drug tests have been carried out since.

Unless "Liam " has signed a contract agreeing to random drug testing at work , and the company has a zero drug and alcohol policy I think "Liam ,s" company could well be on dodgy grounds ?

Liam had signed such a contract and the company has a zero drug policy.
My point was that sometimes if you want to get rid of a member of staff there's ways of doing it that are completely legal and quicker than the route of verbal warning, first written warning etc.

Hope you're ok OP?

@LoliC90 how are you?