Payroll Tax Deal Would Allow Drug Testing, Reduce Unemployment Benefits To 73 Weeks

[Tx4obama]

SNIP

A GOP aide said the deal would overturn a federal law that prevents states from screening and then drug testing people who apply for unemployment insurance. States would be permitted to screen claimants who lost their jobs because they failed or refused a drug test and people seeking new jobs that generally require drug tests. According to a 2006 survey cited by Republicans, 84 percent of employers required new hires to pass a drug test. Federal law currently does not allow states to deny benefits for reasons other than misconduct, fraud or disqualifying earnings.

"I'm glad that it's in there," Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) told HuffPost in an interview. Kingston was the first Republican in Congress last year to propose drug testing for those collecting unemployment. "I think that it will be a helpful tool for states."

SNIP

Democrats cautioned Wednesday morning that no deal has been finalized.

SNIP

Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/unemployment-insurance-unemployment_n_1279415.html

[Politicalboi]

1. Are they going to exempt

Medical Marijuana users?????? Probably not. But alcoholics are still okay.

[customerserviceguy]

3. If the job "generally requires a drug test"

and you're a medical marijuana user, then, yes. If the job is driving a bus, then I want medical marijuana users excluded, too.

[notadmblnd]

2. Not needed. Drug use on the job should fall under misconduct

and every one has to state reason for losing job such as lack of work, quit, fired. Most employers will fight paying unemployment if they have a valid reason for terminating employment anyway. It is then that the unemployment office will decide if benefits are payable. If it was found that the reason for the termination was drug use, benefits could be denied. Therefore there is no need for drug testing. Besides, who is going to pay for it?

[Denver Donkeys]

4. I hope the requirement to piss on a drug test extends to lawmakers.

No-one is above the law.

Remember the fatal words of Tom "Squashed Bug" Delay (R-Bugville): "I AM THE GOVERNMENT!".