MISSOURI SHOULDN'T REWARD ILLEGAL DRUG USERS

Just Say No.

This is the message of Missouri employers to the Missouri Department of
Labor. Common sense dictates the state of Missouri should say no when asked
to provide tax money to illegal drug users.

However, two recent cases permit employees, who are fired from their jobs
for illegal drug use, to collect state unemployment checks. A quick review
reveals a disturbing trend. In both cases, scientific evidence of illegal
drug use was ignored.

In one case, the Appeals Tribunal of the Division of Employment Security
found scientific test results were to be given "no credibility/weight in
this decision." Instead, the ruling faults the employer for not asking the
employee if he/she used illegal drugs.

Despite scientific tests indicating the use of an illegal drug, and no
evidence suggested that the test was wrong, this tribunal concluded "the
employer provided no credible evidence" of misconduct.

Associated Industries of Missouri believes legislation is needed to
strengthen Missouri's policies discouraging illegal drug use. After weeks
of work, we achieved language that had the blessing of the state and
federal departments of labor. Or so we thought.

After achieving this compromise, the Missouri Department of Labor began a
systematic effort to eliminate bills that might serve in a capacity to pass
this legislation. Inside the Capitol, even common sense proposals do not
pass easily.

Senate Bill 114, sponsored by Sen. John Loudon of Ballwin, simply states
employees fired for illegal drug use cannot collect state tax money, in the
form of unemployment, for the first four weeks. After this, the state may
award unemployment benefits.

Opponents are quick to point out this proposal will be unfair to
recreational drug users.

Recreational drug users? Are those people who use illegal drugs before
work, after work, or on weekends, but not during work? Opponents also
suggest illegal drug users will be treated differently than people who
don't use illegal drugs.

I believe the laws prohibiting the use of illegal drugs were designed to
treat drug abusers differently. Current laws already allow those caught
using illegal drugs to go to jail, lose their homes and cars or forfeit cash.

Since taxpayers cannot be sure their tax money will not be used to purchase
illegal drugs, the state should just say no.

Associated Industries of Missouri urges taxpayers to send a message to the
Missouri Department of Labor and to legislators. Stop sending state tax
dollars to people fired from their jobs for using illegal drugs.