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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
I'm on the verge of possibly moving on to a new job. The job requires drug testing. I haven't told anyone in the interview process or on any application about my depression nor any meds that I'm taking (Celexa and xanax). I prefer not to say anything, but I'm afraid someone I report to will find out (don't know how likely this is, but I guess it's a possibility). I really don't want my superiors to have any preconceived notions about me before I even start the job.
Should I say I'm taking the drugs for something like a "sleep disorder", or something that steers them away from the real reason? Or should I come clean? I don't think there's a chance of me not being able to perform my job and my employer accusing me of not telling the truth in the application process.Any advice on how to handle this dilema? I'm a financial professional in a supervisor position looking to move into a similar position.
TomV
Posted by Mitch on September 28, 2001, at 0:30:04
In reply to New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
> I'm on the verge of possibly moving on to a new job. The job requires drug testing. I haven't told anyone in the interview process or on any application about my depression nor any meds that I'm taking (Celexa and xanax). I prefer not to say anything, but I'm afraid someone I report to will find out (don't know how likely this is, but I guess it's a possibility). I really don't want my superiors to have any preconceived notions about me before I even start the job.
> Should I say I'm taking the drugs for something like a "sleep disorder", or something that steers them away from the real reason? Or should I come clean? I don't think there's a chance of me not being able to perform my job and my employer accusing me of not telling the truth in the application process.
>
> Any advice on how to handle this dilema? I'm a financial professional in a supervisor position looking to move into a similar position.
>
> TomV
Hi Tom,I don't think they are going to *find* the Celexa (because they prob. won't be looking for it or will not be willing to spend the money to find it), but they *will* find the Xanax in there. So don't mention depression (that's far worse-trust me-they will think of you needing to take off because of it etc.-sad but true), as far as explaining the Xanax the best thing is just tell them you are taking it short-term for insomnia and anxiety related to job-hunting. That's my best bet. It's sad that people are discriminated against, but folks with depression will be.
good luck
on new job,
Mitch
Posted by Sebbi on September 28, 2001, at 7:58:09
In reply to New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
Tom -
When our company tests for drugs and the results show up anything related to anti-anxiety, the employer never knows about this. It's the pot, coke stuff that makes you not get the job and even then the employer doesn't know WHY you didn't pass the test, just that you didn't pass.
And as far as Xanax - just say it's for sleep problems. A very commonly taken drug.
Good luck at your new job! :-)
Seb
> I'm on the verge of possibly moving on to a new job. The job requires drug testing. I haven't told anyone in the interview process or on any application about my depression nor any meds that I'm taking (Celexa and xanax). I prefer not to say anything, but I'm afraid someone I report to will find out (don't know how likely this is, but I guess it's a possibility). I really don't want my superiors to have any preconceived notions about me before I even start the job.
> Should I say I'm taking the drugs for something like a "sleep disorder", or something that steers them away from the real reason? Or should I come clean? I don't think there's a chance of me not being able to perform my job and my employer accusing me of not telling the truth in the application process.
>
> Any advice on how to handle this dilema? I'm a financial professional in a supervisor position looking to move into a similar position.
>
> TomV
Posted by stjames on September 28, 2001, at 12:17:23
In reply to New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
You do not have to tell them why (it is illegal for them to ask). All that is required is proof
that you have a legit perscription.james
Posted by paxvox on September 28, 2001, at 12:29:33
In reply to New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
I am a Federal manager that deals with hiring employees at times. Believe me, you HAVE to be honest and upfront with them. If you lie, they can fire you later for lying. If you don't mention the conditions, you will fail drug screening, and they won't hire you.
Now the good news: It is against the law to discriminate against people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) even makes it illegal to deny a job opportunity based soley upon a disability. Psychiatric disorders are considered disabilites by law, because they interfer with a major area of one's life. NOT making your disability known keeps you from enjoying the protection of the ADA. If you want to see the rules, go to the EEOC home page, or search engines and look up ADA. There are specific guidelines for psychiatric disabilities.
You may think it's best to try and get by, or you may want to avoid the stigma deal of being labeled a "crazy" person. However, I believe there is a paradigm shift going on in our culture that is begining to understand mental illness is not our fault, or something that we have done wrong, etc.....Chemicals,that's about it.
PAX
on the soap box
Posted by Mitch on September 28, 2001, at 13:37:01
In reply to Re: New job... drug test required and how to explain » TomV, posted by paxvox on September 28, 2001, at 12:29:33
> I am a Federal manager that deals with hiring employees at times. Believe me, you HAVE to be honest and upfront with them. If you lie, they can fire you later for lying. If you don't mention the conditions, you will fail drug screening, and they won't hire you.
Pax,
This is an interestingly related new subject: Pre-existing medical conditions (versus drug tests).
From the *practices* as I have seen them-the personnel manager isn't *obligated* to fire someone for not disclosing a condition at the time of hiring(despite whatever rules they may have). However, they *will* have the ammunition to get rid of you later if they are looking for something to hang you with. I have seen some coworkers get away with a LOT of infractions (illegal stuff, too), IF they are cranking out the work and doing a good job (this is private sector now). However, if they *want* to get rid of you, they usually can find some way to do it anyway. Those are just my observations, I agree that ideally you should disclose all your conditions. What about this twist-what if the *condition* that you have has not been adequately determined (differing diagnoses-different docs, etc.), or what if the nature of your condition contains symptoms that would make it difficult to disclose the condition? (i.e. social phobia where disclosing the condition itself would result in embarrasment). Mental illness isn't near as objective as nonmental disorders. Just my two cents.Mitch
Posted by shelliR on September 28, 2001, at 13:53:14
In reply to Re: New job... drug test required and how to explain » TomV, posted by paxvox on September 28, 2001, at 12:29:33
> I am a Federal manager that deals with hiring employees at times. Believe me, you HAVE to be honest and upfront with them. If you lie, they can fire you later for lying. If you don't mention the conditions, you will fail drug screening, and they won't hire you.
I think this is very bad advice. Tony is under no obligation to reveal anything. That is not called lying; it is called respecting your right to keep personal things personal. I believe that we have a right to privacy in this country. Unless an illness directly impacts on a job, it is none of the employer's business what medical conditions are present or which medications their employees are taking for what ailments. And if Tony fails the drug test because of xanax, that is the time to "confess" to a minor sleep disorder, but only if that comes up as a question. It really shouldn't. The point of a drug test is not to find out what prescribed drugs are being given to this person, but to discover if this person is using illegal and unauthorized substances: whether he has a drug dependency problem, and/or has broken the law.
So PAX, I am curious, when you hire people, do make them fill out a questionaire listing all possible physical and emotional conditions? Because that is the only way an omission could be interpreted as lying Insisting that everyone fill out such a sheet seems to me to be unethical. That's why physicians records are confidential. The conditions that a physician is treating a patient for, are recognized as being extremely personal. A patient must sign a form to release this information and that release is generally given for only consultations with other doctors.
> Now the good news: It is against the law to discriminate against people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) even makes it illegal to deny a job opportunity based soley upon a disability. Psychiatric disorders are considered disabilites by law, because they interfer with a major area of one's life. NOT making your disability known keeps you from enjoying the protection of the ADA. If you want to see the rules, go to the EEOC home page, or search engines and look up ADA. There are specific guidelines for psychiatric disabilities.
> You may think it's best to try and get by, or you may want to avoid the stigma deal of being labeled a "crazy" person. However, I believe there is a paradigm shift going on in our culture that is begining to understand mental illness is not our fault, or something that we have done wrong, etc.....Chemicals,that's about it.Well, when does a condition become a disability? Tony's question is not about having his job opportunites denied, it is about having his privacy protected. If Tony used viagra for a sexual disfunction, would this also be something you would expect him to come clean with in accepting a job offer. I truely do not understand.
PAX, I am having a difficult time understanding where you are coming from, especially in your position that suggests that any person who does not reveal his/her medical history is "lying".
Shelli
Posted by stjames on September 28, 2001, at 15:10:04
In reply to Re: New job... drug test required and how to explain » paxvox, posted by shelliR on September 28, 2001, at 13:53:14
> > I am a Federal manager that deals with hiring employees at times. Believe me, you HAVE to be honest and upfront with them. If you lie, they can fire you later for lying. If you don't mention the conditions, you will fail drug screening, and they won't hire you.
James here....
You are violating federal law and privacy law here. If one wants ADA accomidations, then one must tell them about disibility. Unless the job has very special conditons, like airline pilots,
you have the right to take meds without telling work what condition is being treated. Doctor/Patient confidentially means you do not have to tell. Work does not have to right to violate your privacy.james
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 28, 2001, at 17:47:43
In reply to Re: New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by stjames on September 28, 2001, at 15:10:04
> You are violating federal law and privacy law here...
This is an important topic, but I'd like further discussion to continue at Psycho-Social-Babble:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010927/msgs/11870.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by maribeth on October 3, 2001, at 18:22:38
In reply to New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
> I'm on the verge of possibly moving on to a new job. The job requires drug testing. I haven't told anyone in the interview process or on any application about my depression nor any meds that I'm taking (Celexa and xanax). I prefer not to say anything, but I'm afraid someone I report to will find out (don't know how likely this is, but I guess it's a possibility). I really don't want my superiors to have any preconceived notions about me before I even start the job.
> Should I say I'm taking the drugs for something like a "sleep disorder", or something that steers them away from the real reason? Or should I come clean? I don't think there's a chance of me not being able to perform my job and my employer accusing me of not telling the truth in the application process.
>
> Any advice on how to handle this dilema? I'm a financial professional in a supervisor position looking to move into a similar position.
>
> TomV
Tom--
Take my advice and do one thing BE HONEST As long as you provide a current prescription for each medication you are taking you owe them no other explaination. If they hassle you beyond that get an attorney. They should not --that should be the end of it, and don't you offer any more information. Maribeth
Posted by rmshed on October 3, 2001, at 22:23:41
In reply to New job... drug test required and how to explain, posted by TomV on September 27, 2001, at 22:17:19
> I'm on the verge of possibly moving on to a new job. The job requires drug testing. I haven't told anyone in the interview process or on any application about my depression nor any meds that I'm taking (Celexa and xanax). I prefer not to say anything, but I'm afraid someone I report to will find out (don't know how likely this is, but I guess it's a possibility). I really don't want my superiors to have any preconceived notions about me before I even start the job.
> Should I say I'm taking the drugs for something like a "sleep disorder", or something that steers them away from the real reason? Or should I come clean? I don't think there's a chance of me not being able to perform my job and my employer accusing me of not telling the truth in the application process.
>
> Any advice on how to handle this dilema? I'm a financial professional in a supervisor position looking to move into a similar position.
>
> TomVXanax will show up on a drug test, I do not know this for sure, but when I took a drug test for a job,the Prozac that I take didn't show up on the test. The HR department just took me into a room and asked what medication that I was on. I told them Prozac. Which was the truth to some extent, they didn't ask for all of the medication I was on. The HR department didn't have a clue that Prozac wouldn't show up. I was never asked another question about it. I felt slightly violated when I was asked to tell them about my medications. Personally, I feel it was none of their business. This company had workers who wired telecommunication towers and their concern was the tower workers being on benzos and other drugs that would alter their balance or other physical side effects. I was told that the company drug policy had to be the same for all employees, but special consideration was taken for those who worked in the office. That made me feel a little bit better, but still....I now carry a small note on an rx slip that states that I am on Xanax for panic disorder. If an employer asks, the employer needs to take many things into consideration before he decides you may not be a good worker. I know I am an excellent worker and any employer that decides not to hire me because I take a medication for a reason that is not as socially acceptable as say insulin, is not worthy of my talent.
Good Luck.
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