California Court Upholds Emotional Distress Award Due to Unannounced Random Drug Test

California Court Upholds Emotional Distress Award Due to Unannounced Random Drug Test

California Court Upholds Emotional Distress Award Due to Unannounced Random Drug Test

A California appellate court affirmed an award of emotional distress to two employees who felt pressured to submit to a random drug test. The Court reasoned that the random drug test administered in this case violated a fundamental right to privacy, which is protected by the California Constitution, and therefore the employer could not “hide behind the shield of workers’ compensation.” As debt collectors, Aro and O’Toole did not occupy “safety or security sensitive” positions and so the random drug test was “unreasonable and outrageous.”

Aro v. Legal Recovery Law Offices, Inc. , Case No. D065422 (unpublished) (Cal. Ct. App. Apr. 8, 2015)