Monday, January 09, 2006

you're in a cup!

i have to take a urine test tomorrow. a piss test to determine whether or not i can be a receptionist. let me assure you that it takes a lot of drugs to not be able to answer phones or hand out mail. it seems that all the inconsequential jobs i've had, answering phones or making photocopies, requires a drug test. the jobs i've had where i have to work with important things like money, checks, or confidential papers have never asked for a sample of my pee.

the world is a fairly retarded place, but i'm getting paid to pee in a cup so i shouldn't complain. i shouldn't but that doesn't mean i won't. i hate being treated like a suspect before i've done anything wrong. i hate having to prove that i'm not a total fuck-up before i can make $8 an hour. it makes me want to rant and rave about civil liberties, the constitution and my right to privacy. then again, i need to pay the bills so if they want my pee that goddamn much they can have it. when i'm less poor i'll have ideals and values worth standing up for again.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amanda, you need to read Nickel And Dimed by Barbara Eichenbach (I think that's her last name). Great book that address the drug testing.

Personally, I think what I do on my own time is my business unless it effects my job, then they can make me pee in a cup. Wouldn't a criminal background check be a little more effective, ya think?

Lisa

amanda said...

ooh, but i get the criminal background check too! i'm extra special lucky.

Anonymous said...

wow. beside law enforcement, i think texas only does that for working at the lotto commission.

barbara ehrenreich. a tad strident in the salon interview when that book came out, i think. the salon review was funny. i'm a bitch.

xochew

Anne said...

The higher you go, the less they care what drugs you're doing. Unless you're willing to share...

dm said...

the only job I was piss tested for was at a sporting goods store. wtf? the IRS, no problem (they did do a backround check, though, just no peeing).