I recently received the following inquiry from a potential client via the Internet:

“I had an accident at work and broke my hand. I went to the doctor the same day and was treated for it. While I was there I never gave a urine or blood sample. The next day my boss asked if I would take a random test and I declined because they can’t prove I was under the influence at the time of the accident, not saying I was. So was that the right or wrong thing to do?”

Before responding to this worker’s situation, I would ask questions that included the following thoughts, depending on where the worker was within the workers’ compensation and employment process:

• Where was the worker from, as laws vary from place to place?
• Who is/was the worker’s employer?
• What was the worker doing when injured?
• What is the employer’s policy on random drug testing?
• Is the worker still employed at the company?
• Is the worker receiving workers’ compensation benefits?

Knowing those specifics would help tailor my response to the circumstances, but generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to disobey a supervisor’s request. However, depending on the circumstances here, this worker might have Continue reading →