excerpt from SKUNK Volume 3 Issue 3:

When Private Becomes Public
The hiring process is murky and subjective impressions are frequently a factor in decision-making. A company theoretically can't legally deny you employment for things like bad credit or bankruptcy. For example, they're supposed to give you a chance to disprove erroneous information, but whether it's right or wrong, once the seed of doubt is planted, it may color their view of you long after, even if they do give you the job. English satirist Joseph Hall hit it on the head when he said, “A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was.”

Your doctor may not be able to tell anyone you had a positive drug screen, but your employer can share that information with other potential employers, insurance agents, creditors and even landlords. Then it's out on the open market. In some states, employers are protected from civil liability if they tell other employers about a former employee's drug activity, health, or performance.

About that old drug test…
Many companies now refer to the urine test as an I.Q. test; because they feel most reasonably intelligent drug users know how to pass them. But, you might want to think about shaving your whole body; hair testing is on the way and can detect drug use for up to several months.

One drug testing company claims that 12% of employees have used an illicit drug within the last year. So if you toked once, ten months ago, you fall into that category. Another company shouts that 18% of abusers admit to stealing from their employers. It's not clear in their ads what percentage of all stealing this constitutes; it also leaves one wondering what percentage of non-drug abusers have admitted to stealing and what constituted stealing. Is it a pen you put in your pocket or did you cart off a pallet of DVD players?