04 Worker Rights & Working Conditions - Free.doc

The first 200 words of this essay...

Privacy is a cornerstone of our society, as Americans we value privacy above many other natural rights. We each have a right to protect and control certain information about ourselves and who can have access to that information. Our personal decisions should be autonomous and free from illegitimate influence (Shaw & Barry, 2007, p.329). Organizations have a legitimate interest in situations which significantly influence the performance of their employees while on the job, but the understanding of what "significantly influence" means may differ between the employer and their employees. The actions of employers in gaining agreement from their employees to submit to drug testing can be considered coercive when one considers the relationship between the employer and employees. Although the relationship should be one of mutual consent and partnership, the fact that employees may be subject to termination for not submitting to drug testing, makes the consent obtained seem more likely undue coercion (Shaw & Barry, 2007, p. 364). Employees may feel obliged or even pressured to take a drug test or risk the loss of their job. In these instances, the consent may not be informed.

Although we value and guard our privacy, at times it may