Eastman Kodak Company takes 3 vials of employee blood rochester, New York

"When you become a direct employee of Kodak, you go to the health employee drug testing area (mainly for truck drivers regular testing) - they take 3 vials of blood  "

   So, were they taking this blood for a mandatory drug test?    I've noticed that a lot of companies are doing "health & wellness" type programs where the employees are asked to volunteer for various health related testing (diabetes, cholesterol, etc...) as part of a preventative health program.   As I said, those programs are usually voluntary and the employee is actually paid to participate.  Either way, heath check or drug test, they need your permission to take your blood.

   Are you saying that Kodak just ordered you into a room and took blood without your consent? 

"the blood should not be collected by your corporate employer !!!!  "

   As long as it's collected by a qualified professional, why should you care who pays the person?

   I'm not sure if I'm getting this complaint.   Are you objecting to blood tests, or the people who extracted your blood?  

   Personally, when my company asked me to give blood for health testing, I told them to go pound sand.   Two hundred bucks is not enough cash to go prying through my biological info.

"When you become a direct employee of Kodak, you go to the health employee drug testing area (mainly for truck drivers
regular testing) - they take 3 vials of blood  "

   So, were they taking this blood for a mandatory drug test?   
**Yes, as far as I can recall yes this was mandatory for new employees - this was many years ago.

I've noticed that a lot of companies are doing "health & wellness" type programs where the employees are asked to volunteer for various health related testing (diabetes, cholesterol, etc...) as part of a preventative health
program.   As I said, those programs are usually voluntary and the employee is actually paid to participate.  Either way, heath check or drug test, they need your permission to take your blood.
** Beleive me, if were a little older and wiser back then I would have objected --- I think I did and was told by some guy, whom I never met again who was meeting me there, that it was a condition of employment.

   Are you saying that Kodak just ordered you into a room and took blood without your consent? 
** The guy basically, as I recall, said to work at Kodak this is a conditional item ...  to which I should have summarily refused and gone the proper channels from there ... This was In-House Kodak Health as far as I can recall-- it was on Kodak grounds  in their Corp. HQ complex . (lots of pipes and so forth area)

"the blood should not be collected by your corporate employer !!!!  "

   As long as it's collected by a qualified professional, why should you care who pays the person?

**I'm not happy about giving a urine test .. and i worked at a car dealership where they required hair samples ..  I would have strongly objected had I known they (3rd party agency) collect 4 pieces of hair and go right down to the scalp level ...


   I'm not sure if I'm getting this complaint.   Are you objecting to blood tests, or the people who extracted your blood?  
**I'm objecting to the collection of blood like I'm a truck driver on a routine/random drug test ... but again, it was years and years ago .. and Kodak is no longer a DOW component (it's not a huge & strong company any more)
  
Personally, when my company asked me to give blood for health testing, I told them to go pound sand.   Two hundred bucks is not enough cash to go prying through my biological info.
^^ And I should have done the same -- there were lots of probably job offers and the management at Kodak has got to be some of the worst ....

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I am in no way trying to be mean here, but this isn't a rip-off.  It's concerning yes and an invasion of privacy, but it doesn't fall under the line of a "rip-off."  My advice to the original poster would be to QUESTION why there needs to be a blood draw in the future.  Perhaps they have had too many people cheat at the urine drug testing and they have decided to switch to blood testing to know the sample is pure.  Three vials of blood is a bit excessive for blood testing though.  If the testing is mandatory, you have the right to decline, but be prepared for the consequences.  Once you enter into an employment agreement with the company you pretty much have to abide by their rules.

Now, if they are doing health scans then you have a perfect right to refuse.  They may try to make it mandatory, but I think you're within your rights to seek your own medical care and perhaps release the results to the company if you choose to do so.  I don't know how HIPAA laws dictate the release of your medical information to your company so you might have to sign a release.  But of course you are in no way obligated to do that either.  Health screens could be mandatory, but you should read up on your employment manual (or the company's rules on the matter) before making your final decision on how to pursue this.  This day and age people are so hung up on wellness that companies are actually trying to mandate health screens; Kodak may be one of those companies.

On a separate note, when I went to work for a hospital I had to participate in a medical exam, including blood draws.  They were testing us for immunity to certain diseases.  Could they have been testing you for a reason like that?  Do you work near hazardous chemicals?  Does your job require you to be in top physical condition?  Are you exposed to anything possibly contaminating?  Your best bet is to ask questions; after all, it IS your body and you have at least the basic right to question why they are doing their tests.  And with any testing you MUST be presented a consent form to sign.

Y'all really ought to be more worried about Kodak going belly up soon, when they're forced into chapter 11, or worse.