Drug Test for new job

Hello all, Happy Halloween !

I have been on Narcotic Pain reliever for several years, and have worked inside the family business so I have never experienced a drug test or even an interview.  I have the opportunity to take a part time job for wich I will be tested.  How do I handle the fact I am on meds?  Do I tell them right forward? Do I need a note from my Doc? or from the pharmicist?

Thanks so much for your help !!

Su

I assume they are most concerned about illegal drugs. I don't know what the job is, but if they are not going to hire you because of your prescribed meds, then either it will be the sort of job that someone with CP may not be able to handle, or they're being unreasonable.


If you think it is appropriate, let them know that you take X under prescription and indicate your willingness to supply proof (doctor's note or printout from pharmacy as bayoub2 notes).

Maybe others who have gone through this can offer advice. But I think it depends upon your sense of the employer, HR staff, etc.. If this helps, back when I was in my teens, I applied for a job that asked if I have ever used illegal drugs. I said yes and listed pot. The HR person was impressed with my honesty and I got the job ($10/hr in the 1980's). But that was Canada.

Perhaps one strategy would be to indicate that you will probably test positive for opioids, but you have a prescription. You could downplay or sidestep the details. However, admitting this may raise concern about your ability to do the work, depending on what it is. So, what to do will probably depend a lot on the details. BTW, hydrocodone is prescribed for some other conditions than pain. One is RLS (restless leg syndrome).

Good Luck and please make sure to post what you decide to do and whether you got the job.

I have had to take a drug test for almost every job I have had. I have never had any problems. I haven't even been asked for any info about legal pain meds. I was taking. Pretty sure they just look for illegal drugs.

Bill

My husband does drug testing for companies all of the time. The protocol they use for those coming in for a test, is usually, the person being tested is sent right to the testing facility. They are given a certain amount of time to get the test done- usually within two-4 hours of the time they are sent for it, sometimes by business's day end. If the person being tested is prescribed any medications, they are advised to bring them with them to the testing facility, in the original bottles. They show those bottles to the person performing the test, the names, doses and last time the medication was taken are written down on the forms- they are accompanied into the bathroom- to make sure they are not adding stuff to their urine- or have stuff in their pockets/purses - and the urine sample is collected. It is sealed , signed /initialed by the testing person and the nurse/med tech and then sealed into a shipping envelope. Those tests done for employment are gc/ms tests, so they are far more sensitive , than those dip paper ones we may come across in some offices.
The results usually take about a week before they come back. They test for the medications that the person is prescribed they bring with them, as well as street drugs, benzo's , marijuana, etc.....even alcohol if the employer requests that part of the testing, as well as quantities found if there is something that comes up positive.
Hope this helps someone .
Sandi

I used to have to take an annual drug test and plus occasional random tests. I drove a commercial vehicle so narcotics weren't an issue but I always told the tester what prescriptions and herbal supplements I might have recently taken. It was never an issue. Some of my co-workers always carried their prescription bottles so they had them if they had a random test.

We were not accompanied into the restroom and we were not allowed to take anything in with us and we weren't allowed to flush or wash our hands until we turned in the urine sample.

There's a few things to consider here.

#1 MOST employers do a SAMSHA-5 test, which mostly tests for illegal drugs. The only legal ones it generally picks up is adderall, codeine, and morphine. Also, they can do addtional lab testing to find out whether it was a prescription (such as T#3) or and illegal drug (such as herion) caused the positive. Most narcotics will only show up on this test if taken in high doses within a short time before testing. (The Opiate test is not designed to catch prescription drugs but illegal drug use, namely heroin. However prescription codeine and morphine will cause a positive and they will have to test it further to confirm it was from prescription use). Therefore, if you are hydrocodone for example, it most likely won't show up.

#2 A few employers do a 9 panel tests, usually ones that require driving heavy machinery. These WILL usually test for the hydrocodone/oxycodone. A very few select ones require hair tests, which picks up presciption and illegal drug use over the past 90 days.

#3 Have a print out of the precription records on hand incase a doctor review the results does call you, that way you can fax it to them. You can simply request they put (on Rx) in the comments section at the testing site. That way you don't have to worry about your privacy being violated, it just simply lets the tester know that its "possible" one of your scripts might cause a positive. If you turn up negative, this will NOT hurt you by putting "on rx" on the paper work because once the company hears negative, thats the end of that part of the process. No need to worry more.

Don't sweat it. 95 percent of employers are simply looking for illegal drug users. Most are not concerned that you are on a legal prescription, provided you have demonstrated through your job experience and interview that you can compentantly do the job.

I hope this helps and best wishes :)

BTW: I know for a fact that vicodin will show up on a standard 5 panel drug test. I strained my back several years ago and was on it for about a week along with a muscle relaxer. I was off work that week due to company policy in regards to working while taking narcotics and the day I got back I had to go in for a random drug test. It came back positive for opiates/narcotics. It wasn't an issue, but it did detect the drug still in my system.

When my daughter applied to Target, she was sent immediately for a drug test, they tested her for both street and opiates, benzos, marijuana, heroin, amphetamines, etc......just to clarify, my husband says that it depends on the employer, and what they want the person to be tested for. Some companies want a screen done for street only drugs, some ( the majority) want them tested for all of the above. He said that the testing costs the same ( as far as gc/ms goes) so they will go for the entire panels, rather than for parts of it, again, depending on the company.
Sandi

Recently a friend of mine applied for a job and was hired by the company after of course passing a drug test. She informed the employer of the narcotic that she took for pain so there was no surprises on the drug screening. All the employer asked of her was to have her dr write a note stating the medication did not impede her in any way and she had no problems getting the job.

I'll add a vote on the side of tell them up front. If you wait until the tests are done to tell them you are taking prescription narcotics it will appear that you are trying to hide something. Why else would you keep it from them until they found out and then brought out your evidence that you are taking them with a doctors prescription. Much better to bring the information with you to any interview and be honest. I personally wouldn't trust someone who held back and only shared the truth when it looked as if they had been 'caught'.

FWIW...
Chutz