Preemployment Alcohol & Drug Test

bigred0489

Hi All,

Looking for a bit of advice!
Having been made redundant last year I went back to Uni full time and worked part time. I have recently been offered a position with an American Oil firm and I was delighted. I got a call yesterday saying that I was to attend a physical examination with a private firm tomorrow afternoon. This didnt phase me at all - I watch what I eat, I'm in the gym every day etc. Problem is, it will include an alcohol test.

Few points here:
My birthday was last week so I was out with friends for that;
I went out a few days later for the boxing and that turned into a night out;
Went out for mayday drinks;
I'm recently back in the dating game and have had two dates this week consisting of dinner and drinks.

This is far more than i would ever normally drink in a one/two week span but I'm worried that it'll cost me the job.

If it's a breathalyser test I'll be fine but I've heard of urine tests showing excessive alcohol consumption for up to a week prior?

Has anybody had any experience of these tests and what they involve?
I don't touch drugs etc and like i mentioned, i'm healthy and active in every other way!

Thanks!

MonkeyDr

Hi

I am not an expert on this, but I have a little understanding.

1. Blood alcohol levels can certainly be measured. Make sure all alcohol out of your system when testing, but I expect you would do this anyway. (same idea as a breathalyser).

2. A metabolite that builds up as alcohol is processed can be measured too, although over time this will break down and go too. I think that this test could be used to see if someone has drunk heavily in the previous 24 hours ish (or maybe very very heavily in the previous 48 hours?). Kind of would be measurable for about the same time that you would feel hungover? You should be fine for that too.

3. Other metabolites that can be measured in urine, or in hair, show alcohol consumption over a longer period of time. But I don't think they are accurate enough to specify the number of days you drank alcohol etc, or quantify the amount. I mean that I doubt these tests can distinguish between someone who has a single small sherry some evenings and someone who has 5 pints and 8 Jaegarbombs 4 times / week. The potential use is to monitor people with addictions, or who have a contract that says no alcohol in order to have access to their children etc, or maybe for people with jobs that require them to remain sober 24/7.

Assuming that your job description says nothing about being sober all the time and it isn't a weird puritanical company with a universal policy of teetotalism, so long as you don't turn up drunk or hungover I think you'll be fine.

(I do know someone who had their job offer pulled when they found cocaine metabolite in one of these tests though...)

bigred0489

MonkeyDr wrote: »

Hi

I am not an expert on this, but I have a little understanding.

Thanks for your input, found it very reassuring!
Glad to say that following the assessment I passed everything with flying colours. I did undertake the urine test but that turned out to be purely Drug related and I had no worries there.

They did a simple breathalyzer test for alcohol which came in at 0.00%.

Again, your comment was very reassuring nonetheless!