Rigged!

The call was "Hey James, you've been selected for a random drug test. Drive over to the 'testing facility.'"
Whether DM followed through and made any appointment with testing facility for me, I don't know. All I know is that the receptionist at testing facility (Urgent Care clinc) told me "you have to fill out papers from your employer," not "sign here; have a seat over there. And then, when I tried to call DM he was MIA.

 

I dunno, I've been randomly drug tested more times than I care to remember but it's the same procedure every time. I go to the test facility, tell them who i am and why I'm there. They then hand me a stack of paperwork to fill out, which is pretty self explanatory. I fill said paperwork out, they take me back in the office and commence the testing. Easy peasy.

 

Yeah, in my case that's exactly what didn't happen. When I told them who I was and what I was there for I was told "You have to fill out papers from your employer." No "authorization," no "intake." Not easy peasy. Pain in the ###.
Then called/texted DM for authorization. No answer. Then checked ELD. Load waiting.

 

Yeah, that's when I said "Do you mean paperwork that you have on hand for me to fill out, or papers that I have to get from my employer?" to which the service agent replied, "From your employer."

 

and you didn't make contact first?

quickest way to a DM's attention is NOT being able to make the load.

Besides, you were already out the testing facilities door, the stuff was already hitting the fan

 

I certainly agree with your observation about WE's crappy equipment, but as far as getting a lawyer goes, it has been my experience that very few attorneys know anything about federal transportation law and even fewer who are willing to take on a corporation like Western Express. The only one that agreed to do so wanted a $3,500.00 retainer and told me "it's going to be an uphill battle" and to not "expect a 'money judgement' in your favor."

 

No sir, nothing was hitting the fan. The text message I eventually got from DM later that day read "sorry, I was out to lunch when you called. Did they [the testing facility] take care of that [the test] for you?" Then the only correspondence I got from him regarding the test was a week later when he called me to tell me I was fired for "failing [to take] the test.

 

3500 is peanuts compared to what you will loose over the long haul if you don’t straighten this out.
I’ve paid that for things a lot less important and your not really looking for a money judgement but a correction of the reports. Asking for a huge amount of money is just to get thier attention and get them motivated to fix thier screw up. No lawsuit, no fix, no career, worth 3500 yes, no or are you afraid of a fight?

 

No money.