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Should those receiving unemployment benefits be given a weekly drug test?
Results so far:
| Yes | 41% | 90 votes | Total: 219 votes | |
| No | 59% | 129 votes |
Yes
by Danielle Robertson
Created on: February 24, 2010 Last Updated: February 25, 2010
Unemployment is at a high percentage this day and age. Those who receive benefits should have to commit to weekly drug tests just like they file weekly to receive their compensation. If they are using drugs, it means they are more than likely not looking for work.
The government should have policies set in law to enforce the drug testing nationwide. Yes, it will cost the government but it will also help decline the ones using drugs to lose their benefits. The loss of benefits would put the money back into the States economy.
With unemployment over 10% there has to be a solution to help those who are willing to work. The unwilling should be penalized instead of being awarded money for extracurricular activities. Persons on unemployment also have the privilege of receiving food stamps. Yes, it is important to have food in the home but there are many people who sell their food stamps for drugs.
I have seen it done and it outrages me that their family won't have nourishment because of the addiction of the person selling the food stamps. I could not believe my eyes seeing the transaction but who am I to step in and say anything.
I truly think the government should have provisions set for those receiving benefits be tested for drugs and they should also do more "big brother" eyes to make sure that they are looking for work. There may not be a lot of jobs available but put pride aside and take care of your family and yourself.
Benefits only run for a year (at least here in Alabama). The money received is not nearly enough to live on but it does help families survive for a short while until they can find a job.
The cost of the drug tests should be deducted from the person's benefits because it would help support the State instead of costing the State even more in the issues surrounding unemployment. A weekly report to administrators should be law instead of simply calling a number to let the State know you haven't looked for work.
Put more pressure on the persons unemployed instead of making it easy to receive money from their State. More rules would definitely lower the unemployment problem.
The drug users would have to clean up in order to get their benefits and the ones that are truly trying to find employment would have a more positive outlook knowing the people taking advantage could be terminated from the government support.
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No
by James Soule
Created on: June 28, 2009 Last Updated: June 30, 2009
Let us start with figures on this matter. Last year there were 369,500 Americans on unemployment. Since that figure was reported, our economy has collapsed and the figure now stands at a whopping 627,000.
It is not that I support the use of drugs, they are illegal so then for me, they are off limits. However, what does concern me are all the social programs that I, you and everyone else have to pay for. If local, state and federal government allocates funds for drug testing, we the people are the ones who have to float the bill. I for one am already overwhelmed with taxes, nearly 30% of my check goes to taxes and then every penny I spend gets taxed after that.
The average drug test costs run from $20.00 to $50.00 and if the test is positive it has to be re-tested for confirmation. This cost will cover the test for your usual suspects like marijuana, opiates and cocaine. The cost doubles to check for steroid use. How in the world could a government afford such a program. Sure $20.00 does not sound like much but let me lay out the cost for you at just $20.00 per person and you can see how the numbers are overwhelming.
a. 1 Week = $12,540,000
b. 1 Month (4 weeks) = $50,160,000
c. 6 Months (26 weeks) = $326,040,000
d. 1 Year = $652,080,000
e. 5 years = 3.3 billion
There are 300,000,000 people in our country and only one third of them work on a regular basis, the rest are too young or too old or disabled. That leaves an estimated 100,000,000 available workers in the U.S. and nearly 700,000 are collecting unemployment. Wikepedia states that 7.2 million people are incarcerated. Upwards of 3 million citizens are homeless and there are any number of other reasons people do not work. So out of that 100,000,000 of available workers, you can get an idea of how many people are actually in the workforce.
From the research I can find, there seems to be no real number because of independent contractors and illegal workers. The point remains, for those of us who do work, we are the ones who will have to float the bill for unemployment drug testing. I for one am against it, unless the government can find a way to pay for it, that does not cost hard working Americans more of their cash.
I do believe drug testing is a positive thing for businesses to do, I mean who wants a high pilot flying an airplane. The truth is this, why should we pay for testing when these same people will receive a test when they receive an offer for employment. Keep things as they are I say.
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