Ask HN: Is it normal for tech companies to test for drugs?
I'm an engineer at a small-to-mid size Bay Area software company that recently began rolling out a drug testing policy.
The policy is to perform "random drug testing on a regular basis" as well as testing any employee "reasonably suspected of using illicit substances". The messaging we're getting from senior management & HR is that this is a normal thing for a company to do, and is part of becoming a mature company. This strikes me as odd and not true, but I haven't worked at that many tech companies. Is this a normal policy in the industry? Is this a huge red flag? I'd love to hear input from the HN community on this.
5 comments
[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 21.0 ms ] threadI've worked at 6 companies and that never happened.
Never heard of other companies doing it either.
They are afraid you might do drugs, hop on the forklift, and drive like Klaus...
Klaus with English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oB6DN5dYWo
Dubbed to English, as "Chad": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPpwLCvPAME
No: 550 people, in New England, with a bit of computer manufacturing
Yes: hundreds of people spun off from a larger company with thousands of people, in the southeast, with a bit of computer manufacturing
Never, but they reserve the right: hundreds of people, owned by a huge defense contractor, in the southeast, doing classified stuff