Safety and productivity concerns seem to outweigh privacy issues when it comes to testing employees and new hires for illicit drug use. According to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, alcohol and drug users are far less productive, use three times as many sick days, are more likely to injure themselves or someone else, and are five times as likely to file workers' compensation claims.

The ACLU opposes drug testing, estimating that $1 billion is spent annually to test workers in the U.S. The ACLU does support "impairment" testing in safety-sensitive positions and establishment of programs to assist employees with addiction problems.

Some companies test new hires and employees who have been involved in accidents on the job or who are suspected of being impaired on the job. Other companies randomly select a percentage of employees to test each year. There are a variety of testing options used, including urine and saliva tests.

Some industries require drug testing of all employees, such as those involved in transportation. The U.S. Department of Labor believes that drug testing is a "win-win" situation for both employees and employers, resulting in decreases in absenteeism, problems with supervisors, mistakes at work, and job injuries.