Forced Drug & Alcohol Testing to get Unemployment Benefits

/sigh...

I can see now why they think that the POTUS speech from the oval office last week went over the heads of the majority.

UNEMPLOYMENT IS NOT WELFARE!!

Let me explain it to you.

Step 1. You get a job.

Step 2. The company processes your weekly pay.

Step 3. The company takes out taxes and SS and pays unemployment benefits.

Step 4. You jump up and down and say you don't want to pay into that system because you will never see any of that money returned.

Step 5. Company points and laughs.

THE MONEY PAID FROM THIS IS NOT 'TAX' MONEY.

It's more of a government ran savings account they set up so they could get you to let them hold corporate money while they made interest off it.

What you're thinking of is welfare. It's like an unemployment check, but all you have to do is breathe and breed to be eligible for this hand out. Much different.

They put this in to keep companies that fail from putting an excess burden on the employees it effects.

That is all. Before you get behind an idea, how about understanding what you're talking about first. That is all. =)

[edit on 20-6-2010 by PayMeh]

reply to post by PayMeh



Then I stand corrected. It's not tax money, but they are "taxing" me to collect unemployment comp.

I still think it's a good idea to test people collecting unemployment for drugs.

Not only this is bad for all the obvious ethical boobytraps, the logistics here as far as having people to administer and monitor those on unemployment being tested is not realistic. Social workers at social service agencies are already overwhelmed. "Walk-in" unemployment offices have mostly all shut down (at least here in California) as most unemployment business has been replaced by online or telephone methods. So just WHO is going to monitor every person collecting unemployment's pee tests? While labs can be contracted to do the actual analysis, the results have to be reported to a human somewhere that must then decide what to do with the information and there must also be some means to post information into a chart of record on each individual. Then there's the issue of HIPAA, the federal law that forbids the release of any and all medical information without the written consent of the patient. So there again there needs to be humans to meet with the unemployed person, present them with the release waiver, explain it to the person, have them sign it then forward copies to the lab and the unemployment dept. Again, just who is going to do this for the MILLIONS of people on unemployment????? Is the Federal Gov't or States going to hire tens of thousands of social workers to administer this? What will THAT cost? One phrase comes to mind: Pennywise and pound foolish!

This is another freakin bass akward attempt to rape the law abiding Americans.

Why wouldn't the Gov. drug testing anyone who's been on welfare (career job) for over 6 months instead of unemployed people who are lucky to get 30% of what they used to earn from collecting?

This is right in line with this thread, Janet Napolitano wants to monitor the internet to protect us against domestic terrorists, while they leave our borders wide open for anyone to walk right in to the U.S. unchecked and illegal.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Anyone else see a pattern here?

IT'S ALL BECOMING A BIG JOKE!

THis is great. It isn't the fact they are saying those who receive benefits are on drugs it is making sure that those that receive the benefits are eligible for jobs and not using the money for dope instead of spending it on more noble services.

You guys are right it is being done 100% for the DRUG TESTING PROFITS.

Here is WHY.

If you Drug Tested the WELFARE people, guess what would happen???

50-75% of them would get kicked off of welfare within a month.

And then next month, there won't barely be anyone coming in to get it. And then there won't be any one to drug test.

See, if they did this over at the Department of Public Welfare, it wouldn't make any profits beyond 1 month.

But over at unemployment, where we can safely assume the majority can pass a drug test; than the profits will be Sustainable and will come in monthly at increasing #s.

reply to post by jerico65


They are also taxing you for pet projects that makes their friends and themselves millions. By your argument, and I agree with you, taxes are bad and yes regular tax dollars go into logistics to run the program.

This, however as already has been addressed, will only increase the cost of those logistics exponentially.

The politician who proposed this amendment to this unemployment bill probably has kickbacks from the company that will be doing the tests. It seems that's how things work. Maybe he has stocks in the company doing the tests.

For those saying that the unemployment money that is being paid out is their money, some may be correct. A few states do actually tax the worker. Here's what I found with a quick 2 minute google search about where unemployment funds come.
Here are some questions and answers about the money that's distributed in unemployment benefits.
Where does the money come from?
It's raised through state and federal unemployment insurance taxes on employers. The federal tax is 6.2 percent on the first $7,000 in annual wages to each employee. State tax rates vary from state to state, as does the amount of each worker's income that's subject to the tax — which ranges from $7,000 to $34,000.
Do all employers in a given state pay the same?
No. The rate they pay depends on how many former employees have drawn jobless benefits — the more such workers an employer has, the higher the tax rate it must pay the state. The irony is that employers responsible for the most joblessness as a percentage of their work force — the ones that have gone out of business — cannot pay their share of unemployment taxes because they've gone under.
Are state and federal taxes the only sources of funding?
Not quite. A few states also impose unemployment insurance taxes on employees.
How is the federal money divided?
There are three federal accounts. One pays for state program administration; a second for the 50 percent share of the extended benefits program (more on that later); and the third for a loan fund for states with unusually high unemployment.
Is there a ceiling on how much money can be in the federal accounts or is it just allowed to grow and grow?
Federal law does set ceilings. When they're reached, the excess is sent to the states' unemployment trust funds in proportion to the amount of money that came from the states. The Congressional Budget Office, according to the U.S. Labor Department, calculated in its most recent estimate that the federal government would transfer about $9 billion to the states over the 2013-18 period. But that was calculated before the government had an understanding of the magnitude of the current economic recession.
Who runs the unemployment programs, and who determines the size of the benefit payments?
The states. Typically, the benefits run for 26 weeks. Sometimes, during times like these, states or the federal government extend the benefit period — the aforementioned extended benefits program. President Bush signed into law a 13-week extension in June for those who had already used up their benefits. He followed that in November with a seven-week extension — 13 weeks for the states with the highest unemployment rates.
How are the states doing with their own unemployment reserve funds? Sixteen states had reserves in the range of zero to nine months as of Sept. 30, according to the Labor Department's most recent quarterly report. On the other extreme, Louisiana had 94 months of reserves, as its trust funds only dipped 3 percent over the previous 12 months.
Zero to nine months? Does that mean there was a state with no reserves at all?
Yes. As of June 30, Michigan's reserves already had $177 million in unpaid federal loans. To pay the interest on the loans, the state has imposed a solvency tax on an estimated 15 percent of its employers. Generally, they are businesses that have paid less in state unemployment taxes than their former employees received in jobless benefits.
I am vehemently against having to pee for an unemployment check. I am against having to pee for anything really, considering its no ones business what I do in the privacy of my own home.

Anybody care to take a guess on the odds of this being passed? It is another direct violation of our rights.

Better idea, Mr. Hatch.

Let' track every move of anyone that is receiving taxpayer benefits. Make sure they are eating healthy foods with no trans fats so we don't spend so much on their health care... maybe periodic weight checks would be in order too. Let's put GPS bracelets on everyone to make sure they are not going to casinos or horse tracks. We can make the casinos hand over data on everyone with players cards. Probably a good idea to monitor TV watching and online video games too. These activities can be counter-productive to people seeking jobs or just mental health in general.

Oh... and all of this would apply to all active and retired congressweenies with pension plans and full medical care

Originally posted by Zarniwoop
Oh... and all of this would apply to all active and retired congressweenies with pension plans and full medical care

They should be the first ones tested. You know, "leading by example".

The problem with these legislative initiatives is that the lawmakers have a tendency to go the extreme.

First, unemployment benefits, food stamp recipients, welfare recipients and then they will move onto disabled veterans, social security recipients and then finally those collecting their pensions. The goverment does not know how to limit their McCarthyistic ways.

Bad idea and waste of huge tax dollars.

The only two things created by this is profits for the laboratories and more crime (thereby making privatized jailers wealthier).

Stupidity lurks around every corner. Welcome to Amerika.

There are many here who have no business posting as they have no understanding of where unemployment comes from. They should not be using 'your' tax dollars to buy drugs while on unemployment? These people are eligible for unemployment because they had a job and worked it long enough to collect. You know what long enough to collect means? That they and the company they worked for have paid in enough money from their earnings to be eliglble to collect. These aren't the welfare kids who get nothing by putting nothing in. How about a vegan demand testing for meat consumption because a person can survive on a minimal amount of leafy substance and still have energy to search for a job? How about I say tax dollars should not be spent on your electric bill that you used to play video games and watch movies when you should have been out looking for a job? Where does the line get drawn? I'll tell you where, it will be drawn and erased and redrawn to the point that you have absolutely no say in what that money goes for.

Please people instead of crying nonsense about lazy drug addicted individuals soaking up government unemployment benefits take a look at the welfare system or the government pork projects, the wasted funding on public officials drawing pay and pension after being convicted of misconduct and crimes. Leave people's person lives and decisions out of it. If I want to drink a beer and smoke something natural bottom line it is none of your business. A person could have smoked marijuana while on the job and been let go due to downsizing, but now they can't receive benefits because it takes weeks to clear ones system after smoking heavily. Drug use isn't a sign of a lazy person, drug use is a personal choice that has NO affect on you except through imprudent laws and sanctions.

reply to post by PayMeh


The company does not pay unemployment. Every place I have ever worked, it was deducted from the worker's paycheck. Your mileage may vary.

You are dead wrong. It varies per state but EVERY SINGLE COMPANY has to pay unemployment. Do a google search, it wont take but 2 seconds of your time to figure out your statement is incorrect.

Originally posted by GreenBicMan
reply to post by andy1033

 

Who cares if they spend their money on a double qtr. pounder with cheese at McDonalds or a 6 pack of Busch? Who are you to say what others should do with their money?

THEIR money? It is the working taxpayers in this country who are paying
out THEIR hardearned money for the druggies and
drunks. And no, not all of them are, but they should be tested.
THIER money huh?

Originally posted by iceblue20-12
Yep take all their money/benefits away, then watch the crime rate sore by 1000%. Most of them would be unemployable so where does this leave them? Coming to rob your place,or mug ya granny when she walks to the shops.

Great logic! So what happens when their benefits run out normally? Are they magically clean & sober ready for work?

After reading the Posts I think it would be better to just
Stop All Unemployment Checks!
Why did a Hunter/Gather Species
Give up their Skills and Chose the
Government will Feed Me Option?
The Drug/Drunks denied Unemployment Checks will just resort back to
Hunter/Gather Species
And Steal from You!

I have a quick question for you. How much money do you think the people on unemployment get? Trust me there is not enough to actually pay the bills let alone to go buy drugs. Seriously the average pay is just over 300 dollars or just under 300 dollars depending on what state you are in and wether you have taxes taken out. Plus it doesn't matter if a person gets unemployment or not if they want to get drugs they will, so as you can see getting unemployment doesn't matter one way or another when it comes to getting drugs.