It is hard to say whether the employer should have the right to know whether his employees take drugs or not, as it depends on the place the speaker occupies: whether he is an employee or an employer. Every person seeks privacy and wants the protection of his personal life, habits, and addictions. If the issue does not influence the working process, then it should not be taken seriously as a precondition of hiring a person only if he or she has disclosed the relevant information. Still, the USA is a country famous for its particular attitude to privacy and a variety of laws securing this right for privacy, freedom to choose ways of entertainment, etc. Thus, judging from this point of view it is possible to say that the employer does not have the right to ask for such information or to include some terms into the contract while not knowing whether the employee takes drugs or not. It should be a personal issue that may be disclosed only if the questioned person agrees to do this and it is his or her goodwill.
On the other hand, one should never forget that the employee is partly responsible for the working process of the firm and has an influence on certain events taking place within its borders. Every employer is deeply interested in having a highly qualified staff that may perform the functions on a premium level, while being under the effect of drugs may distract a person, may make him or her act inadequately, and spoil the whole working process. It goes without saying that people usually take drugs while they are off from work; however, the effect may last longer than the drug user supposed. More than that, overdosing may bring about death or heavy intoxication which, if publicized, will spoil the company’s reputation seriously. Employers usually keep these considerations in mind when thinking about hiring people who take drugs or not. Employers should understand that they take the responsibility for actions of their employees, so they may benefit as well as suffer from the consequences of the staff’s behavior. The situation is clearly illustrated by Keith Goree.
“American companies lose billions of dollars in profits each year due to actions such as employee theft, abuse of sick time, and drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace. In addition, corporations are often held legally responsible for the actions of their employees. This means that companies can be sued when their employees act in unethical and illegal ways.”
