Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Via Jesse Walker, I found this blog post written by the owner of a small helicopter charter company. He's the sole pilot of this company. Here's what it is like to comply with a few of the regulations he's burdened with:
Finally, the FAA inspector looked at my random drug testing program to make sure that everything was in place. I'm subject to the same drug testing requirements as United Airlines. I am the drug testing coordinator for our company, so I am responsible for scheduling drug tests and surprising employees when it is their turn to be tested. As it happens, I'm also the only "safety-sensitive employee" subject to drug testing, so basically I'm responsible for periodically surprising myself with a random drug test. As a supervisor, I need to take training so that I can recognize when an employee is on drugs. But I'm also the only employee, so really this is training so that I can figure out if I myself am on drugs. As an employee, I need to take a second training course so that I learn about all of the ways that my employer might surprise me with a random drug test and find out about drug use. But I'm also the employer so really I'm learning about how I might trap myself....
Five minutes after the FAA inspector left, I received a phone call. "I'm from the FAA and we'd like to schedule an audit of your drug testing program." I remarked that a fully qualified FAA inspector was barely out of the driveway and had just gone through every document that I had on the subject. "He was from the FSDO (Flight Standards District Office)? That's a completely different department. We're going to send two inspectors up from Atlanta next month." Why two? "We always send them in pairs."
I don't know about you, but I'm elated that my tax dollars go for this type of vital government work.
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Jun '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Tragicomedy.
Dec '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I'm left speechless.
Jul '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I can't believe it, and yet, I believe it.
Jan '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
This is so good for the economy that you didn't even realize just how good it is: Now some enterprising soul can form a company to provide the drug-testing services that people like this pilot need, so now there will be at least one extra person employed in the private sector along with the three federal panjandra necessary to enforce the asinine regulations written by some federal mandarin in DC.
Edited on Jul 16, 2011 at 4:17pmMar '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but is this not a logical extension of the program to test federal employees for use of illegal drugs established by . . .Ronald Reagan?
Sep '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
He should vote "present" when the inspectors show up.
Dec '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
This story would be really funny if it weren't a sign of the declining times.
Dec '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I don't think anyone objects to periodic drug testing of pilots, or that if appropriate the test should be given without notice to the pilot, or that the testing programs should be audited by the controlling federal authority.
It's just that when all these reasonable requirements are imposed on a one man show without the slightest allowance for individual judgment in the overkill it represents, the shortcomings of a one size fits all program are obvious. And it doesn't help that the FAA can't find it's own bottom with thousands of hands and hundreds of flashlights.
I don't think Reagan is to blame here.
Mar '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Jerry Broaddus
I don't think anyone objects to periodic drug testing of pilots, or that if appropriate the test should be given without notice to the pilot, or that the testing programs should be audited by the controlling federal authority.
It's just that when all these reasonable requirements are imposed on a one man show without the slightest allowance for individual judgment in the overkill it represents, the shortcomings of a one size fits all program are obvious. And it doesn't help that the FAA can't find it's own bottom with thousands of hands and hundreds of flashlights.
I don't think Reagan is to blame here. · Jul 16 at 5:02p
But should the "one man show" then be exempt from testing simply because it's a one man show?
Dec '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Basil Fawlty
But should the "one man show" then be exempt from testing simply because it's a one man show? · Jul 16 at 5:15pm
No. In fact, he should probably have more stringent standards. For instance; regular drug tests, rather than random.
My company (a two man show) does this because just about everyone we do business with requires either random testing or periodic testing. Random doesn't work on that scale, as we've seen by this post.
Somebody at the FCC needs the authority to allow reasonable alternatives.
Mar '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I agree, Jerry. But I took it that Mollie's post was more a criticism of drug testing itself, rather than of the silly inefficiencies inherent in any such bureaucratic program. With that understanding, I just wanted to point out that mandatory drug testing of all federal workers, including clerks and postmen, was a creature of Ronald Reagan.
Jerry Broaddus
Basil Fawlty
But should the "one man show" then be exempt from testing simply because it's a one man show? · Jul 16 at 5:15pm
No. In fact, he should probably have more stringent standards. For instance; regular drug tests, rather than random.
My company (a two man show) does this because just about everyone we do business with requires either random testing or periodic testing. Random doesn't work on that scale, as we've seen by this post.
Somebody at the FCC needs the authority to allow reasonable alternatives. · Jul 16 at 5:35pm
Nov '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I just now finished watching Brian Lamb in this interview:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/TheDea
Oct '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Have to agree drug testing should be in place for a wide range of folk that are in positions that might endanger the public via drug use.Not real keen on how the system has become so convoluted. Have to modify a quote here... And it doesn't help that the TSA can't find it's own bottom with thousands of hands and hundreds of latex gloves..Would like to see some drug testing there, starting from the top down.
May '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
We live in nation of 300+ million people, so I realize that daily stories of political abuse / idiocy do not by themselves imply larger trends. But the fact that one can discover a new way in which this abuse / idiocy manifests itself every day says a lot.
For millions of citizens, our politicians have invented a million forms of oppression.
Who is going to try to convince me that this guy's problem could be solved by a letter to his Congressman? For too many things, we have no recourse.
Edited on Jul 16, 2011 at 8:34pmSep '10
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
The private sector has come up with numerous services to take care of this guy's problem. He can contract with a drug testing company to be part of a much larger pool of employees which is cheaper and easier for him. No sane person would try to administer his/her own drug testing program any more. For reasons this guy is getting ready to understand.
Similarly he could likely write the same ridiculous anecdotes about his payroll or his taxes. If you think you could do your own withholding you are likely mistaken. Same thing for a 401K?
I am not trying to stick up for regulation but once you crack the door it will get very complicated very fast.
Apr '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Basil, really!, "this is the logical extension"?
Mar '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
I have a private pilot licence, and the FAA dictates that I have a medical every two years, which includes a basic drug test.
FAA inspectors can, when I am getting out of the airplane, stop me and check that I have my licence and medical certificate on me. It is a random check, for no reason at all - unlike the police stopping you in your car.
So this story doesn't surprise me at all - the FAA are very strict, especially about drugs, as they should be.
Edited on Jul 17, 2011 at 2:14amMar '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
Well, OK. The illogical logical extension.
Feb '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
In a perverse sort of way this may actually be an argument for self government. Everyone: regulate yourselves and we'll call it good!
Feb '11
Re: Government Helps Self-Employed Keep Eye On Their Employee
tbc