There is a dilemma about Pre-employment screening which is controversial among businesses. There are arguments on both sides; some employers feel that they have every right to test applicants for illegal drug use for the safety of other employees while in the workplace and others think it’s not important to hire the right kind of staff for the job.
PROS in Applying Pre-employment screening
Workers who use illegal drugs shows a safety risk in the workplace while businesses face exposure to liability because of workplace accidents that relates to drugs. 20 percent of workers were in fatal workplace accidents and tested positive for illegal drugs and alcohol.
Recovery programs which came from the cost of the company, employers use these to place their employees to recover from drug abuse. Experienced employees that have completed a recovery program are helping the employer without having another applicant to do a Pre-employment screening and without having to train them. Employees who are free from drugs and alcohol are financially, spiritually and emotionally rewarding.
CONS in Applying Pre-employment screening
Random pre-employment screening may foster resentment among the applicants who feel that this is violating their right to privacy and it negatively affects productivity and lost revenues are costing businesses. Workers who are against Pre-employment screening in the workplace are saying it is a violation and they often threaten or sue their employers.
Even if the employee loses the lawsuit, the company will still lose time and money such as attorney fees which also need downtime. Adding a random Pre-employment screening program will cost a lot of money, and results of the employees may end up all negative.