• Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
    Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
    Sign up Log in

USA A Proposed Hair Sampling Bill Poses Threat To Sikh Operators

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
2,653
Ancient Greece
If passed, The Drug Free Commercial Driver Act would allow motor carriers to force a Sikh operator to provide a hair sample for pre-employment testing and further future testing for the purpose of curbing controlled substance abuse.

About the bill
On October 30, 2013, Congressman Eric “Rick” Crawford (R-AR) introduced the Drug Free Commercial Driver Act of 2013 (H.R. 3403). It has been co-sponsored by Representatives Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tim Griffin (R-AR), Reid Ribble (R-WI), Steve Womack (R-AR), Jeff Miller (R-FL), Sean Duffy, (R-WI), and Randy Weber (R-TX). As stands, the bill has been assigned to the Highways and Transit subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee.

This bill would allow motor carriers to use hair testing as a method for detecting use of controlled substances by an operator for pre-employment testing and later random testing. It directs the Secretary of Transportation (“Secretary”) to modify regulations and to develop procedures to allow a motor carrier during the rulemaking process to apply for an exemption from current requirements to allow use of hair testing of operators for controlled substances instead of other methods (such as urinalysis or blood testing). Click here to read the bill’s text.

This bill would allow Employers to force a Sikh operator to provide a hair sample, thereby preventing Sikhs from seeking employment as operators due to their inability to cut their hair for any purpose. Once again, Sikhs would have to choose between employment, and their faith.

This bill comes at the heels of complaints from truck drivers in Arizona. Last year, a trucking company in Arizona which refused to hire an elderly Sikh unless he submitted a freshly cut sample of his hair for drug testing. The company refused to accept urinalysis, or other means of testing which are commonly used in the trucking industry. The EEOC is currently investigating the matter.

If this proposed bill goes through, it will unfold disastrous consequences for Sikh truck drivers. It will essentially give the trucking industry a free hand to impetuously reject Sikh applicants on their refusal to cut their hair.

Devout Sikhs should not be forced to choose between employment, and their faith. We cannot allow incidents like the one in Arizona to be repeated.

You can sign a petition to your elected representatives requesting them not to proceed with the bill. Link: http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50846/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=13648

(Source: http://unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-11-04-14-01.html)
 

Attachments

  • web-harpal4-0614.JPG
    web-harpal4-0614.JPG
    35.8 KB · Reads: 251

Harkiran Kaur

Leader

Writer
SPNer
Jul 20, 2012
1,393
1,921
I think the issue is that for testing the hair requires the bulb to be intact. I don't think they clip it, they pluck it so that the bulb or 'tag' is still attached. Same with DNA testing... Hairs that fall out on their own usually do not have the bulb intact.
 

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
2,653
Ancient Greece
I think the issue is that for testing the hair requires the bulb to be intact. I don't think they clip it, they pluck it so that the bulb or 'tag' is still attached. Same with DNA testing... Hairs that fall out on their own usually do not have the bulb intact.

Either way, plucking or cutting....both are prohibited for the Amritdharis...
 

angrisha

SPNer
Jun 24, 2010
95
231
38
Canada
I think the issue is that for testing the hair requires the bulb to be intact. I don't think they clip it, they pluck it so that the bulb or 'tag' is still attached. Same with DNA testing... Hairs that fall out on their own usually do not have the bulb intact.


I dont think it matters about the bulb, hair like nails grows at a constant rate any chemicals that change in your body are generally shed into your hair.... so you can typically tell how long ago a certain chemical was taken in based on the location in hair cell.

From my understanding anyways....

Again, other methods work just as well, and have been used for a long time. If hair sampling is an option I dont see why you cant do a urinalysis or a blood draw... it might be more expensive to analyze, but from my understanding again you can buy drug sample kits from the drug store over the counter now....

Can someone re-post the link to the petition? I cant seem to get it to work in either one of my browsers.

Thanks!
 

Sherdil

Writer
SPNer
Jan 19, 2014
438
874
Again, other methods work just as well, and have been used for a long time. If hair sampling is an option I dont see why you cant do a urinalysis or a blood draw... it might be more expensive to analyze, but from my understanding again you can buy drug sample kits from the drug store over the counter now....

I googled it. I came up with this:

"The standard detection window for the hair test is 90 days. Because hair grows about 1.5 inches in 90 days, hairs with a length of about 1.5 inches are targeted for cutting. Longer hairs will give a longer window of detection.For instance, a 6-inch long strand of hair can potentially reveal drug use from a year ago. However, 90 days is the most common testing window, so, generally, long strands of hair are cut to 1.5 inches before being tested"

http://m.wikihow.com/Pass-a-Hair-Follicle-Drug-Test

I don't think they need the hair bulb.
 

aristotle

SPNer
May 10, 2010
1,156
2,653
Ancient Greece
I googled it. I came up with this:

"The standard detection window for the hair test is 90 days. Because hair grows about 1.5 inches in 90 days, hairs with a length of about 1.5 inches are targeted for cutting. Longer hairs will give a longer window of detection.For instance, a 6-inch long strand of hair can potentially reveal drug use from a year ago. However, 90 days is the most common testing window, so, generally, long strands of hair are cut to 1.5 inches before being tested"

http://m.wikihow.com/Pass-a-Hair-Follicle-Drug-Test

I don't think they need the hair bulb.

Actually there are both type of tests. Those which need an intact bulb and others which don't. But either way, hair has to be plucked or cut.
 

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

❤️ CLICK HERE TO JOIN SPN MOBILE PLATFORM

📌 For all latest updates, follow the Official Sikh Philosophy Network Whatsapp Channel:
Top