US EditionAlcohol tests on Finnish workers spark legal and ethical backlash
6 Articles
6 Articles
New PEth tests can detect alcohol consumption even weeks after it has ended. Conducting tests in occupational health care raises questions about employee privacy.
Finnish occupational health doctors have introduced an alcohol marker, or PEth test, that shows employers how much alcohol a person has consumed during their free time. Employees are unhappy with the secret testing and feel that employers are invading their privacy.
The employee has the right to know in advance what will be examined during health checks. The results may not be given to the employer.
Alcohol tests on Finnish workers spark legal and ethical backlash
A growing number of Finnish employees are facing job consequences after being tested for alcohol use during routine occupational health checks. The blood-based PEth test, which detects alcohol consumption for up to four weeks, is being used without explicit legal backing or, in some cases, the worker’s informed consent. Seppo Koskinen, professor emeritus of labour law, says the test infringes on fundamental rights. “Conducting such a test withou…
According to the expert, tests should never be performed on employees without their knowledge.
Nordic Countries Face Criticism Over Alcohol Consumption Tests
After Sweden revoked driver’s licenses for people whose blood tests showed higher-than-average off-duty drinking habits, now Finnish employers are penalizing employees for vacation time drinking.The PEth (phosphatidylethanol) blood tests used in both countries—sometimes without the test subjects’ knowledge—have raised legal and ethical concerns. The test detects levels of alcohol consumption over time, meaning a weekend of partying a month ago c…
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