The reality is that not everyone is as honest as most of us on the list.
Those of you who are not presently in hiring positions will find this out
when YOU have to hire the best and brightest. Two incidents from personal
experience point this out:

While interviewing candidates as part of a committee at one institution we
found the "ideal" candidate: smart, experienced, glowing letters of
recommendation and nothing short of effervescent. Some of the committee
members were so entranced that they did not want to risk losing the
applicant by insisting on the mandated tests.

I was on the fence, but voted not to request a waiver of policy and asked
for the tests anyway. (By the way, a drug test, criminal check and a
physical can cost the institution $200 or more). Some of the committee
members were really P.O.ed, did the usual soapbox civil liberties oration,
argued the reliability and valididty of tests, etc. One left the committee
in protest.

To cut to the chase, the lab test showed the candidate was so bubbly because
of  cocaine  bloodstream content (we could not understand why they took the
test -- that IS impaired judgement). We were thinking about asking for a
retest until the incoming police check revealed one cocaine conviction. The
academic credentials check did show that the applicant attended the
university -- for one semester. The letters of recommendation? We found that
the letterhead and signatures were forged with a scanner from routine
correspondence (this is an increasingly common practice and can be very hard
to detect). We hired candidate #2 who went through the exams just fine, had
real degrees and worked out well. Caveat emptor.

I have also received background checks where the applicant had a drivers
license suspended or revoked because of multiple DWIs. Sorry, but I have NO
patience for this having lost relatives to a DWI driver. Do you really want
an non-recovering (notice the distinction) alcoholic driving around in a
vehicle with your institution's name on the side. Picture the headline
"MUSEUM EMPLOYEE DRIVING DRUNK STRIKES CAR HEAD ON - KILLS THREE." About
that grant you had into a local foundation . . . About your institutional
insurance rates . . .

After first opposing drug tests, physicals and criminal checks before
employment, I am now thankful for them. Explaining to a board of trustees
why you hired a junky or drunk or gave a convicted felon the keys to your
building is not my favorite recreation. "I didn't know" is no excuse when
you can be sure. If you could have tested, but did not, it may well cost you
YOUR job.

I would agree that drug tests and physicals are questionable AFTER
employment -- especially random checks with no causative situation. If they
are needed, and come back positive, I favor rehab before guillotine.
----------------------
Byron Johnson, Director
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
P.O. Box 2570
Waco, Texas 76702-2570
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 817-750-8631
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"...Unless a people are educated and enlightened it is idle
to expect the continuance of civil liberty or the capacity
for self-government."   - Texas Declaration of Independence,  March 2, 1836.