News to me

Feb. 9th, 2006 10:13 am
trickykitty: (Default)
[personal profile] trickykitty
Ok, someone has to verify this for me because I've just never heard of it and I think I will have to start learning how to make a noose if it's true.

A company (in Texas and a few other states) reserves the right to fire someone if nicotine shows up on a drug screen.

I was just informed during this morning's interview with Pavestone that they treat nicotine like a drug. (Yes, [livejournal.com profile] txcowpatties, I interviewed with Pavestone - it's all your fault I even noticed their ad.) They couldn't tell me how long it stays in your system and they were even saying that there's the unproven argument of second hand smoke in your system. But they still conduct random drug screens for it (and all of the other unmentionables) anyway.

I bought a pack of cigarettes on my way home from the interview.

If I had known about the nicotine thing early in the interview then my answers to "how would a co-worker describe you" would have been a lot different: OCD from hell, highly analytical to the point of being Spock, and well, just weird - she's just weird. (After all, the politically correct "normal" person doesn't have any other way of describing me.)

Song of the day: Signs - "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"

(no subject)

Date: 2006-02-09 04:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seci.livejournal.com
drug (plural drugs)
1. (medicine) Substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose.
2. (medicine) A substance, often addictive, which affects the central nervous system.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/drug (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/drug)

Any mind altering substance, to include nicotine and caffeine, could technically be qualified as a drug. There are more legal drugs than illegal. And, like it or not, in this age of "at will" employment, employers really do have the right to make stipulations potential employees (you) may not agree with.

But on the issue of random drug testing for nicotine, perhaps you should think instead of how to avoid failing the test, is this a company you truly would want to become entangled in. It is quite possible that there would be deeper issues (problems?) you would run into working for this company.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-02-09 05:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] trickykitty.livejournal.com
At this point I'll take the YMCA over Pavestone just in spite. I can drink AND smoke on my own time if I work for the Y and there are plenty other employees who will join me.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-02-09 05:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seci.livejournal.com
LMAO - exactly! It would be silly for you to knowingly go into such a restrictive environment, much better to hold out for something that meshes well with your current lifestyle.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-02-09 05:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fleurrette.livejournal.com
wtf does Pavestone do that smoking and drinking is bad?

(no subject)

Date: 2006-02-09 05:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] trickykitty.livejournal.com
I can guess that it started as a means to keep a nice clean image for their laborers versus the "I just crossed the Rio and habla no Engles" type of crew. Either that or their owner(s) just fit in perfectly with the Bible Belt.

Nothing was mentioned about drinking, but I agree with [livejournal.com profile] seci that limiting forbidding smoking is too restrictive and just makes you wonder what else will be restricted.

(no subject)

Date: 2006-02-09 05:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fleurrette.livejournal.com
Jeeeeez
My office job does testing, God Knows what secondary exposures I had from the bar, but I passed.
LOL

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