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I just heard a story about performance testing on the Canadian
Broadcasting Corp's "As It Happens" radio news program.

------story summary---------

A company called Performance Factors, Inc.  offers a product called
"Factor 1000". It is a software/hardware combination that runs on a
IBM-style PC. The hardware is a special control panel.

The system tests hand-eye coordination with a type of video game.
The test consists of using a joy stick to center and recenter a
moving cursor. Individuals are compared to their base-line performance,
so they are competing against themselves.

The system tests fitness-for-task, not lifestyle. It is nondiagnostic;
that is, it does not tell if the cause of poor performance is
illicit drugs, alcohol, stress, fatigue, or illness, etc.

It is proactive; that is, it is typically used every morning, telling
who is ready for work. It is typically used for production workers
such as drivers.

At one petroleum distributor who uses the system accidents and workers
compensation claims are down by 60%.

--------end of summary--------
(my comments)

The system is more comprehensive that urine testing because it can be
used every day and test what counts, performance. Thus, it should save
the employers money.

The system better respects the privacy of workers because it only
tests their ability to do their job. In contrast, a urine test is used
to check-up on an employee's off-the-job activities and can be
used to check for such things as preganancy.

Of course, if the employer wants to be a Drug War vigilante, urine
testing is still best.

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