Scrooge

ray a · December 2003

I feel like Scrooge. Today was our annual Christmas/holeyday party for all ee's. It was a nice lunch catered by a local popular restaurant. Everyone had a good time, even our Jewish and Moslem friends.

I didn't. Just before lunch I received a call from our drug test provider saying 4 of our lovely young gentleman tested positive. As soon as lunch was over and everyone collected their gift hams, I called them in to my office individually and terminated their employment. That makes a total of 5 ee's I termintated this week for drugs.

sonny · December 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-05-03 AT 02:32PM (CST)[/font][br][br] x:-( You'd think they would get the idea..remember tho, they are making the choice to indulge. I did have an interesting chat with our MRO recently. Does it bother anyone else that you can smoke a little marijuna on your vacation and get fired 3 weeks later, but do up some crack and be off the hook in 72 hours?

safety · December 2003

My answer to your question is yes, it bothers me.

MOMANUFACTURER · December 2003

We just recently spoke with our drug testing company regarding an ee who "walked thru a room where people were smoking pot" and tested positive. He wanted another test. We didn't understand why. The DT company stated that if the person was a one time user that it would not show back up. That the pot is stored in your fat cells a one time user or minimal user would not have enough stored up to keep testing positive. So if you only smoke a joint on vacation twice a year with your brother-n-law it would not show up 3 weeks later.

scottorr · December 2003

Sonny, that always kills me. What gets me even more is when an applicant has one week notice that they are getting a drug test and they still show positive for cocain. Do they just not get it?

Ray, sorry to hear that you had to look like Scrooge. Even though we know they brought it on themselves, it is still a hard thing to do especially around the Holidays.

Parabeagle · December 2003

Sorry, man. That blows. But I think we've all had to do something distasteful like this - goes with the territory. As some of our managers say, "HR" stands for "hurry, run!"

So you terminate immediately upon receipt of a positive? You don't do last chance agreements? Just curious.

Don D · December 2003

I won't to hear about how you got them to return their hams.

ray a · December 2003

Our policy is to terminate immediately upon confirmation from the provider. These were all new ee's who failed their initial drug screen. Because of logistics, I have them tested during their first month of employment at the time we do our regular random testing. A technician comes on premises to collect the samples. What is amazing, these people are told during the job offer and during the first day orientation that we do drug testing and those who test positive will be terminated.

Parabeagle · December 2003

Then I wouldn't feel so badly about letting them go. They knew going in the consequences yet they chose to partake anyway. Let them keep the ham and I'm sure they'll be able to find work shoveling driveways.

POPEYE · December 2003

>Our policy is to terminate immediately upon
>confirmation from the provider. These were all
>new ee's who failed their initial drug screen.
>Because of logistics, I have them tested during
>their first month of employment at the time we
>do our regular random testing. A technician
>comes on premises to collect the samples. What
>is amazing, these people are told during the job
>offer and during the first day orientation that
>we do drug testing and those who test positive
>will be terminated.

Ray,
Have you considered doing pre-employment testing? Sure would save a lot of $$ not to mention time to eliminate the users before those first few weeks of orientation / training.

ray a · December 2003

I did exactly that until about 5 years ago when we moved to a new facility in the boondocks. We are now in a very rural area and it was hard to get people to go to the nearest medical facility 25 miles away, at least on a timely basis. Before, it wasn't a problem, but it seems now the fallout rate has been much higher than in previous years. But, this is the first time we've done much direct labor hiring in 2 years. I am thinking about going back to pre-employment testing. Part of the problem is we are horrible at manpower planning. Management waits until the last second then they "need" X number people immediately - "this afternoon would be wonderful, Ray".

The good part was 2 of the 4 individuals today expressed interest in rehab and getting their jobs back. Some maybe some good will come out of it if they look at this as a wake up call. Normally, this doesn't bother me much, but the timing really stunk with our big lunch today. We even handed out bonuses - they didn't get any. Just kind of put a damper on my spirits.

Don D · December 2003

I'm sure you want cheese with that whine. You sound like the bank teller who sat there in her Christmas hat feeling badly about the bank robber who had stuck a gun in her face and was being loaded into the back of the blue and white Crown Vic. 'He'll miss his Christmas', she opined. Get a grip man.

ray a · December 2003

I don't know, Don... I'm already a pretty cheesy character.

OLDSALT · December 2003

Relax, man. This is a simple "IQ" test, and these dudes failed. Probably good riddance! Be thankful you're not informing someone about the serious accident one of these geniuses caused.

ray a · December 2003

Welcome to the forum, Oldsalt. With a name like that, you should be able to give Don D. a run for his money. What really bothers me is I get more disturbed about it than the ee does. At least these were young guys with no family obligations.

Whatever · December 2003

It always amazes how horrible I can feel because someone else made a really bad choice. Be grateful for your feelings.

ritaanz · December 2003

Dear Toots, shake it off. Some children learn the hard way. I know what will make you feel 100% better. Go out a buy your honey an expensive piece of jewelry. I know it would make me feel better. x:P

ray a · December 2003

Well Ritaanz sweetie, that is exactly what I had in mind. My wife hasn't given me any good ideas for Christmas, so I figured I can't go wrong with that.

scottorr · December 2003

Rita, Rita, Rita, Jewelry, how about a luxury automobile? That way Ray can get some satisfaction from riding in it.

Scrooge

Comments