Too many job applicants can’t pass drug test, Pa. business leaders bemoan

Too many job applicants can’t pass drug test, Pa. business leaders bemoan

Associated Press

YORK, Pa.

Business leaders say Gov. Tom Corbett was right when he said Pennsylvania employers are having trouble finding prospective workers who can pass a drug test — and candidates who lack even basic skills is also a problem.

The York Dispatch says that was the consensus among members of several business groups on a conference call last week.

One participant said despite the state’s 8 percent unemployment rate, too many prospective employees “don’t have the skills, and drug testing is a problem.”

Another said the issue is of greatest concern in the manufacturing industry, where workers may deal with volatile chemicals, bladed instruments, or other potentially hazardous conditions.

Democrats heaped criticism on the Republican governor for suggesting that too many residents remain unemployed because they cannot pass drug tests.