Q: Can my employer subject me to random drug screenings 6 month to a year, after completing a rehab for alcohol successfuly

A: You don't state the type of work you do, or what your job entails, which might have a material bearing on whether your employer can impose this condition on your right to continued employment. In all likelihood, it is probably legal for the employer to impose such a condition on your right to remain continually employed.

It is well documented that there is high recidivism rate among alcohol abusers/ alcoholics, and employers have a right to make sure that employees, at least in several categories of employment, stay sober on the job. For example, if you are a driver for a company, your employer can definitely impose such a condition on your right to continued employment. There are many other categories of employment which might justify this kind of condition. The question is usually whether the condition is reasonable under the circumstances.

A: You do describe your position as a mechanic/ engineer for the ship repair industry. This is the kind of technical work that could be very negatively affected if the employee was under the influence of drugs with the potential for serious personal injury/property damage ramifications. Your situation runs the line between protecting the public and your rights to be free from discrimination due to a physical/ mental disability resulting in drug dependency. You are entitled to be free from UNLAWFUL harassment/ discrimination for that. So the idea of being subject to random testing for 6 months is probably not too invasive of your personal rights to become unlawful harassment/discrimination, however, the real proof is how they administer the policy. If truly random, you could be looking at maybe twice a month? maybe even once a week but if you are being tested every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, this is no longer random and could be construed to be punitive for having a history of being physically/ mentally disabled. Best of luck.