Questions about pre-employment drug screening.

I believe that the previous employer can not tell a perspective employer during the reference check that he failed a drug test. It could potentially create a liability to the company that he worked for. Most employers ask the dates of employment, salary rate, duties of position, and if they are eligible for re-hire. If the employer says that they are not and asked why that is where the drug screen may come into play.

In the company that I work for which is a Human Resources firm we only give dates of employment and salary rate. States are somewhat limit the amount that can be said so that there is no opening for slander.

An obvious exception would be if friend were a CDL driver. Upon hiring, a form is sent to previous employers. An honest answer is required by law. There may also be other such catagories.

Sounds like your friend is in a shitty situation. After all, drug use is partaking in illegal activity and former employees may be required by law to reveal illegal activity.

Thanks Shosh, roger, and eoe. Yes, my friend is in a crummy position. Yes, he was a truck driver; though he never imbibed while on the job or endangered people. However, he doesn't feel that it's anyone's business what he does on his freetime. Still, he admits to making an error in judgement and feels pretty bad for getting caught.
Fortunately, he's got a job, one that didn't require drug testing. He's also living with us now, so I've insisted that he not smoke anything(much less marijuana) on our property; I've got a 13yr old son and have no desire to risk losing him. One odd thing was that he's never done any other drugs(Well, except caffiene. But what trucker can get by without coffee?), he doesn't smoke cigarettes, and he rarely drinks alcohol(the last time he had beer was when we used it to make beercan chicken). Marijuana was the only illegal substance he ever used, and it had been 1½mos between the time he used and the day he took the drug test. He was pretty upset because we'd always thought it only took 30 days for the stuff to leave the system; evidently it can take up to 90 days.

I've had the same thought, eoe, but it doesn't seem to work that way. I don't know of a single employer that would reveal information like that without a written release from the former employer. Even CDL drivers complete such a release of liability to be forwarded with the request for information. No release - no answer, at least in the case of my employer.