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Does Amazon Drug Test All Its New Employees?

Amazon

Amazon, the largest e-commerce retail business, was listed as the number one most sought-after company by LinkedIn. In 2020, Forbes also ranked it second among the best global employers. Additionally, the company conducted a survey among its staff and found that 94% of them would recommend Amazon as a suitable workplace to their friends and family. The success and popularity of Amazon can be attributed to the fact that it conducts its business operations seriously and professionally. Amazon also invests time and money to ensure that the operational efficiency of its employees is top-notch. One way it does this is by administering drug tests to potential employees. Read on to learn more about the Amazon Drug Test.

Who Does Amazon Test?

Essentially, employers decide to carry out a drug test to assess their employees for a number of reasons. The tests can be done post-incident, pre-employment, as a follow-up, or even be random. Federal Law requires that all employers in safety-sensitive departments and industries like aviation, transportation, and others perform a drug test of all their employees. Amazon has a very elaborate and strict policy when it comes to drug testing its employees. The company requires all job applicants to pass a pre-employment drug test during the recruitment process. Depending on the need and circumstances, Amazon may sometimes perform a standard 5-panel drug test to screen prospective employees. In contrast, Amazon's top-management employees are not required to undergo pre-employment drug tests. However, the company may be forced to perform an alcohol or drug screening test if it reasonably believes that one of its corporate employees is under the influence of illicit substances.

When Does Amazon Perform the Drug Test?

Drug testing is among Amazon’s 3-step recruitment process when hiring workers. The company’s policies indicate that all warehouse workers and other employees must pass the 3-step hiring process before they fully qualify to be an Amazon employee. Here is a breakdown of the hiring process:

  • Step 1: You will be subjected to an interview, which shall be carried out by the warehouse supervisor of the warehouse in which you wish to work. The main purpose of this interview is to fully determine if you qualify for the next hiring stage.
  • Step 2: Amazon will conduct a background check on you. They will require you to answer some questions concerning your personal life and previous work experience to determine how compatible you are with the job position.
  • Step 3: Lastly, you will undergo a drug test, which you must pass before fully completing the hiring process.

As you can see, the drug test plays a vital part in Amazon’s pre-employment process. It is important to point out, however, there are some scenarios that may call for more hiring steps than the three we have discussed. This is mainly dependent on the nature of the job position you are applying for and whether the company needs extra employees in that department. Note: Regardless of the number of hiring steps you go through, the drug test is usually performed last before you fully qualify to become an Amazon employee.

How Is the Test Administered?

There are numerous ways a drug test can be conducted, including urine drug tests and hair. Amazon mainly uses a unique technique for conducting its drug test called the mouth swab test. The organization has employed a skilled team of medical professionals to perform the test on all its workers, implying that this procedure is both professional and safe. However, the main disadvantage to Amazon’s mouth swab test is that it can only detect recent drug and substance use. This means that employees can easily pass the drug test by delaying it since the swab will be unable to detect THC in saliva after 24 to 48 hours. This realization questions the efficiency of Amazon’s drug test. Critics have mentioned that the company could adopt the urine drug test, which is highly efficient and can detect THC levels in the body even after several days.

Are There Random Drug Tests at Amazon?

Yes, Amazon conducts random drug tests on its employees. This implies that they can decide to perform an employee drug test at any time. During these random drug tests, the company’s managers make a random selection of workers in all departments in the company then test them for drug use through the mouth swab test. These random drug tests are designed to leave employees zero time to prepare. Amazon is a large retail business that employs hundreds of thousands of employees. This implies that the chances of a single employee getting selected for a random drug test are very low. Nevertheless, employees are more likely to be selected if they operate heavy machinery like a pallet truck, forklift, or power equipment and get involved in an accident.

What Does Amazon Test for?

Amazon’s mouth swab drug test is mainly used to detect the common types of drugs people abuse, such as marijuana, opiates, meth, and cocaine. There is also a 5 to 12-panel drug test that mostly tests for a wider range of drugs and illicit substances, such as benzodiazepine, PCP, ecstasy, and propoxyphene. You are at a high risk of losing your job at Amazon if you fail these drug tests, particularly those that check for the most abused drugs. However, Amazon will still hire you if you fail a marijuana test and you have a marijuana medical card along with a valid note from a qualified physician.

Does Amazon drug test for MMJ?

In its attempts to support the federal MORE Act, Amazon recently adjusted its drug testing policies to remove MMJ testing from its drug screening program. The MORE Act only applies to job positions that are not regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT). It is aimed at decriminalizing and descheduling MMJ, as well as other MMJ-related convictions. According to the recent Gallup poll, approximately 68% of Americans agree with the legalization of MMJ in the United States. Around 18 states in the US have already legalized the recreational use of MMJ.

Bottom Line

So, does Amazon drug test all its new employees? Yes. The pre-employment Amazon Drug Test is not an urban legend: it is a real and current part of Amazon’s multiple-step recruitment process. Besides it, the company also performs random drug tests, most especially on employees that operate heavy machinery. Corporate employees are often exempt unless there is reason to believe they are using.

Dana Hanson

Written by Dana Hanson

Dana has extensive professional writing experience including technical and report writing, informational articles, persuasive articles, contrast and comparison, grant applications, and advertisement. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic (particularly business and lifestyle), because as a lifelong learner, she loves to do research and possess a high skill level in this area. Her academic degrees include AA social Sci/BA English/MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology.

Read more posts by Dana Hanson

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