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Will I be tested?

Discussion in 'Marijuana Consumption Q&A' started by JohnnyStash, May 5, 2015.

  1. #1 JohnnyStash, May 5, 2015
    Hello Grass City Tokers!
     
    I write to ask for advice and or experience with drug testing (if you've been a CNA or are one, that would be even better).
     
    I recently took a class to become a licensed CNA. I thought at some point I'd be drug tested, before being admitted to the class, or before taking my state exam to get my license, but to my surprise I haven't been drug tested yet. I was sure I would be, so I took a month to get clean before even signing up for the class. After I finished my class I scheduled to take my state exam and asked the lady on the phone when and where to go for my drug test, as I had been told by several people I'd have to piss clean before being able to test for my license. Needless to say, I was bummed out that I made myself miserable fighting off the dependency I had on it (couldn't sleep or eat without it, I just recently have begun to get past those symptoms) when I could have been smoking the entire time. 
     
    So I passed my test the first time and stumbled into making a contact with someone who worked at a healthcare business in town. I informed said contact about the success, he put in a good word for me, and I had an interview the next day. The fact that this person vouched for me carried a lot of merit, as I was given the job on the spot, began training, and went out on my own at the beginning of the next week. 
     
    I wasn't given a pre-employment drug test, and I've been working there about a month now. I kind of want to start smoking now that I got the job, but part of me worries that my boss assumed that I passed a drug test to take my state exam, and that since I got the job so close to passing the test, they can be sure that I was clean upon hire and didn't have to waste time or money getting me tested. I'm worried that if I start smoking, somewhere down the line they'll realize I was never drug tested at any point throughout the class, application, or pre-employment process, and at that point they'll tell me I need to be tested.
     
    Does anyone have any advice as to how I could get a clearer understanding of the drug testing policy without outing myself as a smoker? I've heard the solution, "ask a coworker", but I can't really do that, as I work by myself everyday, visit the patients' home alone, and don't have coworkers in the traditional sense. 
     
    To any CNAs, is it abnormal to get a job as a CNA and not be drug tested at any point? Almost everyone I've talked to says they had pre-employment drug tests, so I'm beginning to think I slipped through the cracks and might need to take one once they realize I don't have a clean piss test on file.
     
     
    PLEASE HELP!!

     
  2. #2 Sneaky Snake, May 5, 2015
    Congratulations at starting your new career!
     
    For your test/state certification that you received: You should be able to look online to to see all of the requirements for passing and becoming certified. If a drug test was supposed to be part of that, it would be on the list. If it's not on the list of requirements, it's not required.
     
    For the new job: Not every company drug tests.From my own experience, most companies don't unless they have a very specific reason for it. When you were hired you should have gotten some kind of employee handbook, whether it was online or an actual book. It should list all of the company policies, and if a drug test is required, it will be listed.
     
    However... since you are going to people's homes everyday, generally companies have to have some kind of pre-employment background check. If you haven't had that, it wouldn't be out of line or suspicious to ask your supervisor about that. Like, "hey, isn't there supposed to be a background check and drug test for this job?"
     
  3. #3 JohnnyStash, May 5, 2015
    Thanks for the support, Snake! I was hesitant to let on that I wanted to smoke while having a toe in the door of the medical field, as some of the responses I've seen on the internet can be pretty nasty. It's nice to see that others can see the positives of bud and acknowledge that consumption of it and productivity can coexist. 
     
    I don't recall having received an employee handbook, I just filled out the general pre-employment paperwork and proceeded from there. I am employed as an independent contractor. Any idea of whether that would increase or decrease the chances of being drug tested? 
     
    I did have to get fingerprints and a background check done for my state certification and they were done recently enough that my boss was able to access them and use them for my hiring process.
     
  4. #4 Sneaky Snake, May 5, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: May 5, 2015
     
    You just explained it yourself: You are a contractor. You are not employed. There is a HUGE difference there. There is no drug test for you because you are working for yourself and that company that 'hired' you is actually legally just a client that you took on. So, unless you test yourself, there will be no test. You don't work for them, you work for yourself.
     
    Here are some things you may want to read about being an independent contractor instead of an employee:
    https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/employee-vs-independent-contractor-differences-you-need-to-know
    https://www.sba.gov/content/hire-contractor-or-employee
    http://www.irs.gov/uac/Employee-vs.-Independent-Contractor-%E2%80%93-Seven-Tips-for-Business-Owners
     
  5. #5 JohnnyStash, May 6, 2015
    Oh wow, I hadn't thought about it like that before. I was very eager to accept the job when it was offered, having no previous experience in the field, in addition to a less than stellar work history. I hope you're right, because if I could smoke without having to worry about it, that would be awesome. I have liability insurance, so I'm guessing I'd only have to take a drug test if I got hurt on the job and needed to make a claim? 
     
  6. #6 JohnnyStash, May 7, 2015
    Any other opinions from any other "users"? xD
     

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