Is there a workplace in Australia where someone doesn’t get on the gear on Friday, do their own test on Sunday, and decide to call in sick (or work from home) on Monday just to be safe? Employers aren’t allowed to drug test on moral grounds; it’s rooted in safety. For the AFL, there’s the performance enhancing element, but again, it’s connected to game and training days. Players are scared of the drug test system, so they are opting out of being in the workplace or competing. Paradoxically, that’s elements of the system working. So what’s the basis of the complaint?
Wilkie uses ‘Melbourne’ and ‘The AFL’ interchangeably. ‘The AFL’ is not setting up a clinic to do testing outside of the current system. ‘The AFL’ can’t stop players from doing their own private testing. ‘The AFL’ can’t get the results of any private medical testing. I supposed the AFL could drug test every player that’s injured, but the AFL already has a risk-based drug test policy.
Facts are thin on the ground, but I think this is a red herring wrapped up in grandstanding.
And Wilkie’s ‘won’t someone think of the gambler’s’ schtick. I mean, spare me. I’d like to know Wilkie’s view on how draconian employers can be in dealing with the employees health information? Should my employer have access to all my medical records?
