Your Prescription Medication Could Get You Fired

Drug testing is not a new thing and many people are drug tested before employment and during employment. I have been drug tested for jobs and am even drug tested for nursing school (understandably). With the abuse of prescription drugs at an all-time high in the United States, some companies have started also testing for prescription drugs in their drug tests. So, what if you have a legal prescription? Some companies do not seem to care.

Prescription Pain Medications

I take a prescription pain medication that is also a medication that happens to be widely abused in this country. For my school I had to have my doctor send them some paperwork over so that they would know that my prescription was legit and that I am legally prescribed this medication. I completely understand the need for my school to do this because many people to abuse this medication. Now, my school is fine with my taking this medication as prescribed, but there are employers out there who would literally fire me for being prescribed this medication because I would show positive in a drug test for this medication.

According to an article in the Seattle Times the Dura Automotive Systems company will not allow employees to work there if they take certain prescription medications, including the medication I take. An employee lost her job in 2010 for taking a similar pain medication that was prescribed by her doctor - hydrocodone - because the company felt that this employee could not safely do her job when taking this medication exactly as prescribed.

Is There Any Justification for This?

Technically, yes. Certain prescription medications do come with a warning to not operate heavy machinery or drive when taking them. However, when a person has been taking them exactly as prescribed - meaning the amount per day their doctor has told them to and is absolutely not abusing the medication - for a little while, most people function completely normally. I function completely normally. However, I did not drive for my first few months of being prescribed the medication. This was a personal choice. I did not experience any side effects personally, but I wanted to be extra safe. It has been several years now and I am extremely diligent in taking my medications exactly as prescribed, so I do things just like a normal person would.

On the other end of the spectrum, some believe that firing people over prescription medications could violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. This Act basically states that as long as a person is performing their job accordingly and safely, they cannot be fired. It is of course more detailed, but this is the gist when it comes to prescription medications.

I do not think this debate will end for a long time. I work full-time and go to school full-time and perform volunteer work. I function normally and see my doctor every two months. Unfortunately, there are way too many others who do abuse prescription medications and this gives them a bad name. If you take a prescription medication and have to take a drug test, it is best to be upfront about it and get proper documentation from your doctor. If you cannot perform your job on a medication, do not try to. It is better to be upfront and safe.

Resources

Seattle Times: Prescription Drug Use An Issue for Employers