Friday, June 29, 2012

Bill English questions parameters of drug-testing

Bill English apparently mooted drug-testing all beneficiaries - not just those on the new dole - the Jobseekers Support. That predictably brought a variety of responses. But there doesn't seem to be any guiding principle at play.

Not all workers are drug-tested. Why should all jobseekers? If someone fails to get or keep a particular job because they are failing a drug-test then they shouldn't be eligible to taxpayer suppport.

The broad principle should be anyone causing their own ongoing incapacity to work make themselves ineligible for a benefit. And that would include any working age person.

The bigger issue with drug-testing is how widespread will it become and to what purpose?

Imagine this.

Cannabis is fully legalised but use it, and you will never work.

4 comments:

Richard said...

Wait ... "failing a drug-test" does not equal "causing their ongoing incapacity to work".

Lindsay Mitchell said...

I didn't say it did. Heavy drug or alcohol abuse might.

But if the only kind of work you can do, or choose to do, requires passing a drug test, and you can't comply then that's no reason to expect the taxpayer to support you. Find another kind of job.

Richard said...

Administering drug-tests causes an ongoing incapacity to employ ... was my point. :-)

Richard said...

Drug-tests have never been a problem for me ... I know all the answers!