Rick Scott’s new gift to Solantic: drug testing state employees
Florida has just under 168,000 state employees, including just over 105,000 in the executive branch. For Rick Scott, that means nearly 170,000 new potential customers for his … sorry, his wife’s … Solantic walk-in clinics.
Scott’s newest scheme, which will help him turn a profit from his $70 million investment in becoming a one-term Florida governor, would be genius if it weren’t so darned evil. Fresh off his plan to drug test welfare recipients in the state, compounding what for many people is an embarrassing experience, having to take public assistance, Scott now plans to visit the same humiliation on state workers. You know, the ones who haven’t had a raise in four years and who are about the have their unions shredded and their pensions hollowed out by the right wing legislature.
So what (more) can bald do to you, state worker?
TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Rick Scott has announced a new policy of administering drug tests to all applicants for employment in state agencies controlled by the governor’s office, and random drug testing of current employees.
In an executive order issued Tuesday, Scott directed the agencies under his control to implement the policy within 60 days. He said it should “provide for the potential for any employee … to be tested at least quarterly,” including senior management.
But the ACLU of Florida said Scott’s order “attempts to resurrect a policy previously found unconstitutional by a federal judge in a 2004
… Howard Simon, ACLU executive director, said in a statement Tuesday, “The state of Florida cannot force people to surrender their constitutional rights in order to work for the state. Absent any evidence of illegal drug use, or assigned a safety-sensitive job, people have a right to be left alone.
“Coming from a Governor who promised to protect our freedoms by limiting the intrusive reach of government into our personal lives, this massive expansion of government power at the expense of basic rights is stunning and exposes the state to serious future legal liability.”
Scott has generated some controversy by proposing that recipients of welfare and unemployment be tested for drug use.
Critics say that idea is too expensive and impractical, but on Tuesday, a Senate committee moved forward a drug testing bill applying to welfare recipients.
Scott, in a statement praising the Senate committee and announcing his executive order defended both actions.
“Floridians deserve to know that those in public service, whose salaries are paid with taxpayer dollars, are part of a drug-free workplace,” Scott said in a statement.
And how will Floridians get that information? Who has the wherewithal to carry out the drug testing of state employees on a random basis, or when any are crazy enough to apply for a job working for Gollum’s kingdom?
Solantic. Beauuuutiful Solantic.
From their website:
FOR EMPLOYERS
Keep your employees where you need them…on the job.
At Solantic, we offer good medicine for your business.
From treatment of work-related injuries and drug screen testing to a wide range of physicals (DOT/basic physical, OSHA respiratory physical or customized exams) and a la carte wellness services, we can help trim employee-related healthcare costs.
Our ongoing clinician education program ensures we continue to provide the highest level of service to you and your workers. Plus, Solantic is an approved provider for most worker’s compensation networks and insurance carriers. The Florida Fee Schedule is used for self-insured companies.
Plus, we now offer an out-of-state solution for your drug screening and blood alcohol testing needs.
Our dedicated customer service team is always available for your convenience and support, with rapid turnaround of drug screen results, online reporting options, and timely, complete communications on every patient.
For a complete listing of employer-related services and prices, click here.
I wonder how many welfare recipients and public employees Solantic would have to drug test in order for Tricky Ricky to make back his $70-mil…
UPDATE: Key questions for the governor, which I’ll try to get answered tomorrow (yeah I know, good luck with that…)
1) Is Rick Scott prepared to exclude Solantic from any potential state contracts to conduct the drug screenings of either state workers or public assistance recipients? If not, why not?
2) Does the governor see a conflict of interest in enacting a policy by executive order that, even if there is no blanket contract, could benefit his company, Solantic, since either workers or public assistance recipients could obtain drug tests at Solantic clinics?
3) Did the governor seek legal guidance as to the potential ethical questions here? What about the potential unconstitutionality of requiring public employees or benefits recipients to submit their urine to the state?
4) Does the governor see any irony is his position opposing a pill mill database on privacy grounds, but mandating that state employees and benefits recipients to hand over bodily fluids to the state as a condition of either employment, or for receiving benefits that are legally permitted by the state?
Tick tock, governor.
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32 Responses to “Rick Scott’s new gift to Solantic: drug testing state employees”
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Hi Ms. Reid,
I just found your blog site. Every day I think I can no longer be any further amazed at the hypocricy and hubris of these people, and every day I am amazed again.
Gary
Thanks for shedding some light on the Governor. He wants the taxpayers to conflate State workers with welfare recipients– doing nothing for the taxpayers’ money! He forgot that most people know a State employee or two and know that Florida government is lean and mean and the employees are tired of budget cuts.
Not that I am against drug testing, it is something that has been going on in private sector for years. When I worked as a contractor before each assignement I had to have a drug test. I guess my question is why when the state is in such a deficit would he consider spending money like this. Wait till the state dubget is on better footing and then implement drug testing for state employees.
I assume the Governor will also be tested, and probably will test extremely high on testosterone.
Only pee test I will give him is a taste test.
and Flo- NOT! He, his cabinet and legislators will be exempt.
rick scott can have my stool sample too, ill deliver it to him personally.
That Scott's a stinker…sad to say he's OUR stinker…
Its kind of ironic since he put down the proposed data base to curve the pill mill abuse of narcotics. He claimed it would cost too much money, but I’m guessing there was no money in it for him as in the case of this mandatory drug testing policy.
What a smear campaign! For him to send state employees to a company he or his wife owns is a violation of the state conflict of interest laws and would no doubt be prosecuted by the Atty General. Stop the lies!!!!!
Also- why would state employees fear drug testing? Unless they can’t meet the standards? All government employees should be drug tested!
Ah yes, Fred’s got it. You only need your rights if you’ve done something wrong. How ’bout, if you’re doing your job well, you shouldn’t be bothered with b.s.
Why not drug test the Gov… all state officials!
[...] ritual humiliation of public employees and welfare recipients that could theoretically send customers into his walk-in clinic/cheap drugs and HR drug testing business [...]
[...] Rick Scott’s new gift to Solantic: drug testing state employees [...]
Could there also be a relationship between walk-in clinics and patients doctor-shopping for narcotics? (Pain management) Your governor does does want a narcotics database, either.
Serious question: How can I make this guy uncomfortable short of inflicting physical pain? Not sure it is possible…. He is breathtakingly sick. Any suggestions…? Is he embarrassable?
[...] of humliating and demonizing the state workers Republicans so despise, while also potentially lining his pockets by pushing tens of thousands of new custormers to the chain of walk-in clinics he has temporarily [...]
[...] Floridians should not have to surrender their constitutional rights in order to work for the state. One company that may benefit from Florida’s new policy, the company called “Solantic” which conducts thousands of drug tests for employers. That company is owned by Florida’s [...]
I voted for Scott & since have not agreed with many of his policies. But, the contractor world has had drug free workplace policies for years! For example, all KSC workers were screened when hired & after that, workers get selected totally at random (usually by a 3rd party company) to be screened & many did not pass the test sadly. And I have a couple of disabled friends that live in a couple of the “poorer” neighborhoods in Brevard, that is full of 20 to 50 year olds (with young children) & they are always outside drinking & smoking pot (& who knows wha else inside) that WE the TAXPAYERS are paying for their welfare while they are using OUR money to get their drugs with! THIS is ONE policy I actually support as long as the State EXCLUDES his wife’s company which would clearly be a conflict of interest!
To: The Reid Report
Re: Solantic/Drug Testing
When one considers the blatant hypocrisy, mis-statements, half-truths, and out and out lies that emanate from the Tallahassee “Oval Office”, together with the unalterable fact that Rick Scott is a crook of the highest order, the questions regarding Solantic and drug testing come as no surprise. What is surprising is that the mainstream media of Florida, including the perceived “liberal press”, have failed to expose this latest travesty. Keep up the good work!!
Actually its almost 6 years since state workers have had a raise. Also to note everytime there has been a raise in the past the state also raised the cost of insurance to offset the raise so in actuality it has been much longer then that. Not to sound like i am complaining the health insurance that state provides to its employees covers almost nothing and too many out of pocket expenses are expected from us. Another point to make is that state workers are tax payers too and if we are expected to take a paycut this year so should Scott and his house, counsel members, senates and congress persons who work for the state and enjoy six figure incomes and consistant raises and pay nothing for thier retirement or benefits.
I am shocked after working for 26 yrs as a municipal employee that there as been such a money grab by the apparatus otherwise known as the State of Florida. Any policy that the state invents its always to the detriment of the common working folk and to the benefit of the connected or friends of the connected. But the people of Florida deserve what they reap as they elected their leader,s never mind that the apparatus streamlines the choices as much as possible to protect its interests. Its in peoples best interest to start supporting a third maybe radical party to then scare the two party back and forth tax payer drain that dominates the scum in Tallahassee, and get some real reform even if it means mobilizing civll disobidience which is the only language the apparatus understands.
This Govener is just another DISASTER for the state of Florida, just another situation Floridians just could not read the BALLOT. He is a sick, pathetic CROOK that should be in one of his private prisons with NO HEALTHCARE….I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT WORKS FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN THIS PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, NO RAISE IN YEARS AND THEN ASK THEM TO GIVE BACK 3% OF THEIR LITTLE PAYCHECKS, SO MR SCOTT’S FRIENDS CAN GET RICHER OFF THE MIDDLE CLASS/// MR SCOTT YOU ARE THE WORST OF THE WORST..
[...] month that he divested himself of his interest in Solantic, a chain of clinics that could see a windfall from the new law. No documentation of the stock sale was provided, so Floridians will just have to [...]
[...] I’m seriously astonished, why is it not being discussed that the Scott plan to basically drug test everyone who moves in Florida is a blatant plant to make millions? This connection [...]
[...] Lets all take a test together! Read between the lines and see if there's a common thread in terms of who benefits from drug-testing. Rick Scott’s new gift to Solantic: drug testing state employees : The Reid Report [...]
[...] Rick Scott’s new gift to Solantic: drug testing state employees [...]
this was a great article. rick you hit it on the head.
[...] Perhaps it comes down to profit: as seen in Republican Governor Rick Scott’s state of Florida, where – in similar context – would-be welfare recipients as well as public employees (union members) are subjected to an executive order for compulsory drug testing (ironically testing at a mere 2% as compared to the 8% of the non-welfare general public) that not only excludes legislators, governors and judges but also pays a private medical company – Solantic – to perform said testing (Scott and his wife own controlling shares of Solantic). [...]
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I wonder if he knows where Casey Anthoney is hiding; he may have to hide out with her after all the people he’s harmed, not murdered, but is he just a slimey?
as slimey, sorry. Let’s see, I guess this is a bad time to ask about state funded animal welfare, probably ,federal too. Veto . Can’ t make any money off them. Guess they’ll keep on suffering….