Chapter 9: To Test or Not to Test: Drug and Genetic Testing in the 21st Century Workplace

Whilst the concept of monitoring and surveillance has been part of the workplace for centuries, the advancements in technologies combined with the availability and diminished costs, has created a significant shift in the type and intensity of monitoring and surveillance not least in the sphere of biological testing. The advancement has not only been extensive but also invasive. From a biological perspective, drug testing was once seen as applicable for critical incident professions (such as pilots) and associated with large organisations that had the resources to undertake such operations. However, drug testing is now within the realms of most organisations. In addition, the emerging issues and availability of genetic testing also opens up a further Pandora’s Box of ethical, legal and social complexities with regards to the acquisition of information on each individual’s make-up in the workplace.