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Is drug testing always legal in the US? Can drug use on weekends get you fired for any job?

I lived in several European countries, and as far as I know there's no way an employer can force you to take a drug test, with the exception of people handling heavy machinery. If you are on drugs while you're at your job this will of course have consequences, but a drug test that would reveal drug use in your free time is nothing the employer should be allowed to do or even care about.

As an example, the rules in the UK clearly say that you need consent and that it has to be required by the nature of the job, which should exclude most (if not all) office jobs. [1]

[1] https://www.gov.uk/monitoring-work-workers-rights/drug-testi...




You can be fired for almost any reason in the US. There are only a few exceptions such as race, religion, sex or for reporting violations of some laws.

So, yes, in almost any job you could be required to take a drug test and be fired if you refuse.




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