Feds: Texas Cannot Make a Drug Test a Condition of Getting Unemployment Benefits

The U.S. Labor Department has ruled that Texas cannot enforce a law passed by the Legislature in 2013 which makes passing a drug test a requirement for some workers to get and keep unemployment compensation benefits, 1200 WOAI news reports.

"Congress has passed this bill, it passed the Texas Legislature, and it is unconscionable to me that a bunch of federal bureaucrats are able to thwart the will of both Congress and our Legislature," said Bill Hammond, the President of the Texas Association of Business, one of the major backers of the proposal.

The Legislature approved the bill on the grounds that receiving unemployment benefits provides a 'bridge' for workers who have lost one job while they look for a second, and there is an unspoken contract between the employers who pay into the unemployment compensation fund and the workers. The state and the employers agree to pay benefits on the condition that the workers will actively seek out employment and get off of benefits.

But if the worker is taking illegal drugs while receiving benefits, the argument goes, he or she is unable to take jobs that are available and is breaking the agreement.


http://www.woai.com/articles/woai-l...as-cannot-make-a-drug-12218700/#ixzz2xqRDqqmZ


The law requires that you are available to work so if you have a broken leg from a motor cycle accident on the week end you can't get unemployment benefits. If they use drugs they can't pass a work requirement so why should they get benefits??

 

What if Rush Limbaugh ever lost his job???

 

Becasue it violates certain Constitutional protectsions such as unreasonable search and seizure or the equal protection clause.

 

Welfare isn't Constitutional, so the requirements for getting welfare shouldn't have to be either.

 

When they start testing everyone who receives governmental benefits of any kind, then they can test folks on unemployment.

 

Or test people before they can carry a gun.....

 

Really not worth the time and money and it's pretty ridiculous . Some people are on unemployment do to injuries which requires larger amounts of opiates .

 

Iron River,
Would you support random drug tests for anyone. The Police could put up a road lox and just check everyone.

 

I think the correct term is suicide.

Brain dead drug zombies did it to themselves.

 

Deal.

I'll bet most of the drug test failures will be Obama voters.

 

Being that the unemployment funds are not the States money and being that our elected reps do not take one I say good for the Court, they made the correct conclusion.

 

What if it wasn't pot....it was Oxycotin?

 

Depends... It's okay if you run one of the biggest radio talk show in the nation which is followed and listened to by millions of people. Not okay, if you stay at home play xbox and pop out welfare kid, after welfare kid and you don't even try to get off of drugs..



That includes the octomom:

 

I assume the habitual unemployed worker would have a medical history and a doctors referral for the drug.

Used as directed that is not an illegal drug.

 

I really don't have to much heart burn with this proposal except you do it for everyone, so to be fair. If you want to drug test welfare, also drug test recipients of corporate hand outs too.

 

Habitually unemployed do not get unemplyment benefits, one has to work to get them
What is they are not bought legally, you know like Rush did.

 

They get them for as long as Obama can keep getting the payments extended.

Then they find a lawyer who specializes in Supplemental Social Security claims.

 

I agree.

 

Wrong, there is no federal unemployment at this time, as we can see the Repubs don't give a Da*% about the unemployed, that includes conservatives.
They cannot draw SS benefits they are not of age and do not have a disability.

 

You think he would go to unemployment?

 

You do realize drug tests cost money, right?

 

thought they did that now

 

What a crock. Make your case counselor. Using that idiocy, employers couldn't drug test you.

 

Money is a consideration but there is also the principle of paying able bodied adults not to work.

Limited unemployment compensation is ok.

But continually extending it is wrong.

 

I believe Rush is self employed. Fun thing is if you are self employed you have to pay unemployment insurance but you cannot collect it. At least such is the case in WI.