23 replies to this topic

[Kirk]

How about this add from Workamper News, hotline:

California. San Diego County. Accepting applications for: Dos Picos Park in Ramona; Los Peñasquitos Canyon in San Diego; Lake Morena in Campo................................................ Background check and medical screening at no cost to volunteer

What are they doing a medical screening for?

Edited by Kirk, 29 April 2012 - 06:36 AM.

[Jack Mayer]

How about this add from Workamper News, hotline: What are they doing a medical screening for?

Not sure what the position is that would require medical screening but I would NEVER EVER do that. It is a Pandoras Box. Once they have that info it is theirs. Or, perhaps it is a fulltime salaried position. But even then a medical screening is rare. Lots of jobs out there....I'd just move on....

[Kirk]

Based upon the description, I'd say it is a campground host position.

. Looking for help for the summer, with long term option possible. Light park maintenance.

[trailertraveler]

If they cover folks with workman's comp or something similar, they may be trying to protect themselves from claims for pre-existing conditions or previous injuries. At least in the past, some federal agencies required applicants for certain positions to pass pre-employment physicals.

Edited by trailertraveler, 25 April 2012 - 05:58 PM.

[Rosita]

It sounds like this position is through San Diego County; if so, this link might explain the "medical screening" requirement:

http://www.sdcounty....ng_process.html

[Wenvalley]

I wonder if the 'Medical Screening" is another way of saying "pee test".

[Rick & Alana]

Working at the Clark County Shooting Range in Las Vegas we had to have a hearing test and blood test for lead levels as a base line measurement. It has to be retaken on an annual basis or if you return. All paid for by the county, I took it as covering the county's liability.

[Kirk]

I wonder if the 'Medical Screening" is another way of saying "pee test".

Now you may have hit on the answer! Not something that I had considered, but perhaps not a bad thing for an agency to do.

Working at the Clark County Shooting Range in Las Vegas we had to have a hearing test and blood test for lead levels as a base line measurement.

We had friends who worked a shooting range in CA and they did that also, but made it clear that it was to avoid any liability for either hearing or lead poisoning, both of which can be issues at a range.

[BrianT]

Just wondering about something...

Has the workamper world changed over the past 6+ years? That's about how long I've been messin' around in this forum and have had some exposure to Workamper News.

It seems like the positions are becoming more and more like j-o-b-s all the time. Drug testing, background checks, physicals, hmmm... it sounds an awful lot like applying for a regular job.

I don't remember of these kinds of things being this prevalent 6 years ago, and they may have been even less so earlier still.

Is this just perception? Or is the workamping world changing?

I know things tend to change quite slowly in our world but this is one area where I wonder if it will pretty much go away over the next 20 years or so, at least in the forms we're accustomed to seeing. I know fulltiming without a home base is becoming more difficult than it used to be with more hoops to jump through for things like drivers licensing and voter registration. Not saying that's good or bad, just observing, and wondering how the future will affect this little micro portion of society we call workamping, and fulltiming, too..

Brian

[D&J]

Just wondering about something...

Has the workamper world changed over the past 6+ years? That's about how long I've been messin' around in this forum and have had some exposure to Workamper News.

It seems like the positions are becoming more and more like j-o-b-s all the time. Drug testing, background checks, physicals, hmmm... it sounds an awful lot like applying for a regular job.

I don't remember of these kinds of things being this prevalent 6 years ago, and they may have been even less so earlier still.

Is this just perception? Or is the workamping world changing?

I know things tend to change quite slowly in our world but this is one area where I wonder if it will pretty much go away over the next 20 years or so, at least in the forms we're accustomed to seeing. I know fulltiming without a home base is becoming more difficult than it used to be with more hoops to jump through for things like drivers licensing and voter registration. Not saying that's good or bad, just observing, and wondering how the future will affect this little micro portion of society we call workamping, and fulltiming, too..

Brian

I think the work camping world has changed from when we started 6 years ago both in the jobs offered and the work campers that are out there filling them. We will be completing our present position Monday and don't plan on workamping in the near or even distant future. If we do it won't be through Workamper News, we will instead find a park we like and stay there before we even enquirer about working.

Denny

[Kirk]

Just wondering about something...

Has the workamper world changed over the past 6+ years? That's about how long I've been messin' around in this forum and have had some exposure to Workamper News.

I can only address that from the viewpoint of a resident volunteer, as we do not do the paid employee sort of thing. Since we began back in 2000 there have been some changes but most have not been major. At that time most places only did a background check if you were to be working with the public, but not usually for maintenance, where today I think all of the positions do one. When we first started, if we went to a different location of the same agency, such as one national wildlife refuge to the next, they usually didn't do a background check if it had been less than one year since the last, but I think they always do so today. In addition, I never heard of the requirement for finger prints for that background check until about 2005 - 7 time frame but today it is getting to be pretty common. It used to be that they would ask for your D/L number and SS number as well as permission to run the check. Now it is fairly common for them to send a fingerprint card and ask that they be taken by some law enforcement agency and sent in.

But I think that part of that is the times in which we live with more people who do bad things and do them more openly. To date I have not been asked for a drug test, but do know of at least one location that wants permission for one when you arrive there. To date we have never given either fingerprints or pee in a cup.

[GrayEagle]

I think it is more a reflection of the general work world. Though unfortunate all employers find it necessary to me more thorough in their hiring. As but one example, we are in Ardmore, Oklahoma. When the wife was looking for some local work while I worked the campground, she was asked to take a blood test and agree to a background check everywhere she applied. Reason was drug problems. So Walmart and Hasting to name just two had these requirements. Smaller local employers had the same requirements. Sad but it is the state of the nation.

[Kevin H]

It seems like the positions are becoming more and more like j-o-b-s all the time. Drug testing, background checks, physicals, hmmm... it sounds an awful lot like applying for a regular job.

Brian - I think your observations are spot-on. I am seeing two questions here: Are "J-O-B" type offerings increasing and is there a rise in the background/drug testing requirements for said type work.

While I have not been watching the Work-Camper world as long as you, I too, have thought there was growth in "JOB" type offerings.

By looking at a mobile, short stint work force, it would seem more important to screen as there is an increased opportunity for ne'er-do-wells to appear. If I were an employer looking at transient temps I certainly would want some information.

That goes hand in hand with the poor economy and the "you owe me" generation. Suits are common. Protection is a must.

Another thought on the increase of "J-O-B" type offerings - Perhaps employers have become aware that the RV world has a plethora of skilled workers with an older and more responsible work ethic. Also, we geezers are not wanting all consuming careers at this point. Short stints appeal to us. We offer employers a great value. They are tapping into a terrific resource so more and more want us to help out.

I hope it is more the latter!

Just my .02.

Happy Trails!! -- Kevin

[StarDreamers.us]

The real world folks! There are so many bad apples out there, that many companies are just trying to avoid problems. It is more difficult today to get rid of a bad apple from your work force. Once you have hired them you are often STUCK!

Safe Travels!

Edited by StarDreamers.us, 28 April 2012 - 01:39 PM.

[geysergazers]

It’s all part of Security Theater. Crime, both violent and property, has been on a steady downward trend since about 1990 but if you watch the teevee you would think the country is going to Hell-in-a-handbasket. The powers-that-be respond to the fears of the Public with Security Theater (policies and actions which have the appearance of “protecting” people from whatever: “terrorists” or “criminals”). Hence things like pat-downs of 80 yr old ladies at airports and medical exams of prospective volunteers.

Lew

[Kirk]

The original question was about "medical screening" to become a volunteer. When one is to volunteer in a park, then a background check has been pretty standard for a long time, at least it has in our experience over the past 12 years. Our first such request was from Monterey Co. Parks Dept. in 2000 when we volunteered at Toro Regional Park. For most employment situations, a drug test and frequently a physical have been common place for much longer than that. I was required to pass a physical in order to be employed by 3M, back in 1968. I don't think that I had a drug test as part of that, but since a urine sample is a common part of a physical, it may be that I was checked. They didn't have to tell us every detail, back then like they do today.

What seems to be a lot different is on the volunteer side and probably to a large degree for temporary employees as well. It is easy to understand the need for physicals if you are to receive health care and other long term benefits, but temp's and volunteers don't get much more than some form of Worker's Comp. Background checks have become pretty standard for anyone who is to work with children, even in the stick-n-brick world. We spent 18 years as Boy Scout leaders back in the 70's & 80's and we saw such investigations come into use at BSA and understand the need, but we just became involved once more about two months ago and this issue had grown but they still did not require any sort of medical or drug screening.

EDIT: I just visited the San Diego Co. Parks website and found the following information:

Volunteer Requirements:

• A background check is required for most County Parks and Recreation volunteer positions
• A medical screening is required for most County Parks and Recreation volunteer positions
• Training is provided for all volunteer positions, and work records are maintained
• Some positions require extensive training

For additional information, contact Cheryl Wegner at 858-966-1335 or cheryl.wegner@sdcounty.ca.gov

I also sent an email to Cheryl Wegner to let her know of our questions and ask for some further information. I'll post her response.

Edited by Kirk, 29 April 2012 - 06:38 AM.

[Nolan]

We had a job where we had "Medical Screening". Had to have a few hairs cut off the leg to be screened for illegal drugs. Not a big deal. If I had to pee in a cup for a job. Won't be a big deal for me either.

[geysergazers]

If “background check” means criminal history then yes, School Teachers have been required to for a long time as should be the case with anyone who works with Kids.

OTOH, if “background check” includes such things as Credit History then I would be telling someone to buzz off. If “background check” means drug screening then I would assuredly be telling someone (literally ) “pi$$ off”. If a prospective employer wants a pee test he can take one alongside me. After all, if teh big boss is high he might tell me to do stuff that would be against regs/law/ethics/morals, right? They do this stuff only because there are no Unions anymore to tell them “NO”.

Lew

[BrianT]

We had a job where we had "Medical Screening". Had to have a few hairs cut off the leg to be screened for illegal drugs. Not a big deal. If I had to pee in a cup for a job. Won't be a big deal for me either.

I always thought the hair analysis was kind cool. I don't know if I've ever heard of anyone doing it, but always thought it was a neat way of testing. "Mr. Willy" is very shy and doesn't like to come out when other people are around so the pee test is a little scary for some.

LOL!!

Brian

[GrayEagle]

Oh yes! If only we had more unions the drug problem would magically disappear.