Pre-Employmeny Drug Testing Policy in Virginia?

Will I be subject to a pre-employment drug test if:

1) I have received a job offer from a small private firm in Virginia. I have received an offer letter as well as an employment agreement. There is no mention of any drug test etc in either document.
2) Can they test me on the first day of work?
3) Do I have to sign something that explicitly states their drug testing policy before they can ask me to take a test?
4) How can I ask them about their drug testing policy without sounding like I am a user and therefore jeopardizing their perception of me?
note: Please do not answer to preach to me about the merits of being drug free. I have scored a near perfect score on advanced level standardized tests "under the influence" of marijuana and since this is an academic job (and does not entail operation of heavy machinery), my use will not limit me at all. I enjoy it and I feel that drug testing is a gross invasion of privacy.

Thanks

To: m1a1mikegolf ....Thanks for the first part of your response. As for the second part: I do not need a lesson in imposing one's morality on anyone else. It is quite evident that you get your jollies from judging people on Yahoo. My maturity levels are my own affair and I am well aware of myself. Please answer the question asked otherwise do not waste my time.

They can test you any time they feel like it.

If you want to do drugs - you should at least be mature enough to accept the consequences.

I have no idea, but it should not be anyone's business what you do on your own time.

If you received a job offer that does not list a drug test as a contingency it is highly unlikely they will perform drug testing before you are hired.

I have lived my whole life in the shithole of virginia.

You can be asked to take a drug test as part of pre-employment, and or random testing, this is a right to work state.

That means you can be hired or fired for any reason what so ever as long as its not a labor law discrimination.

Some jobs test some don't most do in the northern Va area.
This kind of BS is wrong and a violation of my privacy and I refuse to work anywhere that does this. I do have an IT job working as a government contract atm though, so there are jobs out there.

They cannot turn you in for failing either, I have failed a few they simply don't hire you and say cause you failed the test.
You can contest the results but you have to pay outa pocket for that, and the company still won't hire you anyway so don't bother.

Yes you have to sign papers saying you consent to the test, if you don't no job. Also random testing can be done at any time at the employers discresion.

1)Offer letters are null and void in Va this is a right to work state see above. The rest of the papers you have to fill out will tell you whether or not they require the drug test.
2) yes but ussually your sent to a lab company for independent testing.
3) yes you have to sign consent forms.
4) There is no easy way, just ask them if they drug test, but have a planned response for any answer they give you.
They ussually avoid any sorta conflict over it and answer simply and shortly. but decide ahead of time if you want the job if they test.


*Sample 1, the drug test*

You= "Hi I just had a couple questions about this job offer, what is the pay period/schedule, and do you all drug test?"

Company= "We pay twice monthly on the 1st and the 15th of the month and we do pre-employment and random drug screening.

You= "Thank you, that pay schedule would be fine, but I do not work for companies that violate my right to privacy off the job, if your company ever changes its morals and wish's to have a good empoyee please look my resume up. have a nice day, good bye.

Sample 2, the good company.

You= "Hi I just had a couple questions about this job offer, what is the pay period/schedule, and do you all drug test?"

Company= "We pay every friday, and we do not drug test for pre-employment" (means they will random test if you act funny at work but you gotta be really stupid to do that and never heard anyone getting caught from this).

You= "Thank you, that sounds fine, you want to see me on the nth ? that would be fine , I am looking forward to it, good bye."

Good luck, lots money to be made here if your an elite, otherwise you couldn't pay me to live here, been meaning to get the hell out for years but my family is all here.