False Positives and False Negatives

[Malevolent]

This is very odd.

Feb 11th I had a UA for a position I was offered. This morning 3-3-08 I received a call from the employer telling me that they're taking back the job offer due to a failure to pass the UA. Shocked I called the lab where I had it done. I asked what I tested positive and negative for. Going down the list of what i tested negative for I realized they left something out. I tested positive for cocaine. Just a lil bit ago I had a drug abuse hair sample test done and they told me they could have it done in about 2 hours.

So here I am walking around the Mall of America trying to put Rick Astley's never gonna give you up on all the macbooks i can...>.> to waste time.

But my question. Has anyone experienced a false negative or false positive before while taking a UA? Beside playing Rick Astley over the new JBL speakers I've been googling the stats on FPs and FNs and writing this...I've never had this happen before and I've taken 4 UAs in the past for companies.


Also a few things that I find odd. It took them more than 2 weeks to finish my UA, although they tell me that they've never had a mix up they've had more than 1k complaints filed against them and also the county sends all their officers there for bi-monthly UAs AND got in some hot heat when a PI found out that they stored solutions to erase traces of drugs in a persons system. A big investigation went down but nothing came of it. Anyway...I'm gonna go see what these Oxygen bars are all about...

[Mhurron]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

After reading that, I have just one suggestion.

Quit taking drugs.

[Malevolent]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

After reading that, I have just one suggestion.

Quit taking drugs.

I don't but thanks for the PSA.

PS...I love my new iPhone

[Omniblast]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

WTF's a UA? Stop using abbrevs.

[Mhurron]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

I don't but thanks for the PSA.

Then stop drinking. You were either stoned or drunk when you made that post.

[Malevolent]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

WTF's a UA? Stop using abbrevs.

Urine Analysis
______________________________

Then stop drinking. You were either stoned or drunk when you made that post.

I was in the apple store typing this post. I'd stop assuming things before you make yourself look even more like an ass.

[Dim Mahk]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

I would tell you what UA means but If you dont know what it means the the question isnt for you.
I had tested positive on a few occasions both for marijuana. one in Las Vegas and the other in Orange county. And the thing you need to do is this

first stop taking drugs... find out whats important to you money or kicken it with the homies or home girl.

second these things dont lie... They detect either uber low or high readings on all tests. (Hair Folicol, UA, and spline spinal taps). The Gov allows for a certain allowable tolerance. its even acceptable for you to catch 2nd hand of "smoke" and still pass. Ex. scale is 50-100 acceptable marijuana limit. a person who ever even smelt or is 100% clean would read like 55. A person who is around 2nd hand tests 70-80. But if you toked... lol you test 110+

Third. read the lables on the Detox drink carefully. you weight, size and motabolize has everything to do with how you will "take" to the Detox drink.

Forth. If you took a detox drink then you either over did it or under did it. If you test below the acceptable limit the they know you have taken a supplement, and no they still dont like golden seal in your test.
______________________________
Oh ya sorry to hear about your test... I know who shitty that can be. just dont ever mention that place on your next Job application from here on out

[eticket109]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

To answer the question in the OP, and ignore the trolling, yes... I have had a drug screen come up with a false positive before. When I applied for a job back in '02 I was told the test came up positive for meth. This struck me as rather odd since I've never taken any non-legal drugs and don't even go outside enough to know where to look for them. They were open to letting me get tested again and I came up clean. That wasn't a fun 48 hours though.

[Malevolent]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

I would tell you what UA means but If you dont know what it means the the question isnt for you.
I had tested positive on a few occasions both for marijuana. one in Las Vegas and the other in Orange county. And the thing you need to do is this

first stop taking drugs... find out whats important to you money or kicken it with the homies or home girl.

second these things dont lie... They detect either uber low or high readings on all tests. (Hair Folicol, UA, and spline spinal taps). The Gov allows for a certain allowable tolerance. its even acceptable for you to catch 2nd hand of "smoke" and still pass. Ex. scale is 50-100 acceptable marijuana limit. a person who ever even smelt or is 100% clean would read like 55. A person who is around 2nd hand tests 70-80. But if you toked... lol you test 110+

Third. read the lables on the Detox drink carefully. you weight, size and motabolize has everything to do with how you will "take" to the Detox drink.

Forth. If you took a detox drink then you either over did it or under did it. If you test below the acceptable limit the they know you have taken a supplement, and no they still dont like golden seal in your test.
______________________________
Oh ya sorry to hear about your test... I know who shitty that can be. just dont ever mention that place on your next Job application from here on out

what you just wrote doesn't really apply but thank you. I didn't drink any detox drink just whizzed in a cup. From what i've been reading a hair folical or hair strand sample can show the past 2-4 years of any drug use may it be RXed or street. Hoping to get this all cleaned up by tonite so I can possibly call HR back and get my job!

[DieselBoy09]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

I've never been tested positive for any of that. However, my school bags and clothing have made drug sniffing dogs go crazy thinking they found something twice. It was embarrassing, they notified my family, searched our cars in the school's parking lot, detained us on campus, took samples for testing, and were hostile with their approach of the situation. All the samples they took never showed anything and when we asked about results and such they gave us the run around and would not admit fault or completely clear me of suspicion.
Everything has a level of error I suppose, sometimes you're just the unlucky bastard of the day. I hope things clear up for you and the job opens again.

[Nataka]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

Do you eat poppy-seed muffins or bagels? If so that's why it may have come up...If I remember it correctly.

[Mhurron]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

Poppies are the source of opiates. Cocaine isn't an opiate.

[The Mauva Syndicate]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

Well, yes - as an example, most Officers in the Military always go and get a second test when the Military gives them a UA, so that if the false positive happens (and they are actually very common, 3-5% with some labs) they instantly have a backup result to throw the official one away.

Simple answer tho is don't work for a company that thinks it should be able to dictate what you do when and where. I realize your position is that you've not done anything to make a positive result occur, but do you really want to work for a company that wants to control what you do even when you're not at work? After I stopped working for Uncle Sam I've made it a rule to not work for employers that attempt to control their employees lives, and that includes UA. Not that I have anything to hide, I don't even drink alcohol, but that's an interesting point. Companies say UA is "to keep healthcare costs low by identifying substance abuse issues" - yeah, except the boozers cost a lot more, and nobody does squat about that. America's relationship with Alcohol is so broken, but no we go after willie Nelson and 75 year old "Pot heads" fighting off glaucoma and cancer......
dang
/rant off

[eticket109]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

Whether you think drugs are a minor issue or not doesn't matter. Corporate america typically doesn't want to risk the liability. It's not a matter of the man holding you down. It's a matter of them protecting their bottom line.

[The Mauva Syndicate]

Re: False Positives and False Negatives

Whether you think drugs are a minor issue or not doesn't matter. Corporate america typically doesn't want to risk the liability. It's not a matter of the man holding you down. It's a matter of them protecting their bottom line.

You are quite correct.

And that's why I choose not to work for those kinds of soul-sucking "Bottom line" focused, greed-based, planet raping megacorps. There's plenty of money to be made without joining in their game. Played it, made me unhappy, but wealthy, so now I play a nicer game. I'd never go back into the corporate shark tank. It's bad for my soul, as I'm not willing to sell it.