By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – A federal lawsuit has been filed in Missouri over the state's new random drug testing policy within the Department of Mental Health.
Dan Viets, an attorney for the Missouri chapter of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, filed suit claiming the policy infringes on workers' federal constitutional rights to due process and against unreasonable search and seizure.
The department said last month it would begin random drug tests of its 9,800 employees in May. It plans to sample 10% of all workers from each facility and section within the department.
Federal courts have determined drug tests can be imposed randomly on public employees, but only if governments show a special need outweighs privacy rights.