Does Best Buy Drug Test All Its Employees?

The minimum hourly wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. Therefore, getting a job that pays much more is a dream come true, especially for anyone seeking an entry-level job. With stores like Best Buy paying a starting average hourly rate of $15 for Domestic employees, you can climb the ladder to earn more as you seek lucrative jobs. Still, Best Buy has requirements for job applicants, and if you are a habitual drug user, you might be worried if that last smoke will deny you a chance to work at the store. Let’s put your worries to rest by answering the one question preventing you from sending that application: does Best Buy test all its employees?

Not All Employees Undergo Drug Testing

According to Query Sprout, Best Buy conducts drug tests on potential and current employees depending on the job description. Employees tasked with operating heavy equipment, machinery and those that hold safety-sensitive positions will undergo drug tests, and if they fail, Best Buy terminates their employment. However, the store does not test job applicants during the first interview. It is only after determining that a person could be joining their payroll that they test them for drugs.

During this pre-employment period, Best Buy makes potential employees aware that their chance of working at the store is highly dependent on passing the drug test. As per the article, some Best Buy stores relaxed the drug testing policy on in-store sales personnel. Therefore, do not be surprised that while one Best Buy store is strict and frequently conducts drug tests, another is relaxed. Still, no matter how strict a store is, it cannot conduct random drug tests. Best Buy informs all the employees when it wants to conduct the tests. Besides informing potential employees that passing a drug test is a prerequisite for employment, Best Buy also gives a deadline for submitting the test results. Current employees must be informed beforehand of Best Buy’s decision to conduct a test. In most cases, employers only drug test employees after suspicious behavior that indicates potential drug use.

The Drug Testing Process

Felony Friendly Jobs explains that Best Buy tests for five types of drugs: cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, and methamphetamines. The store also tests for alcohol and nicotine; they prefer a urine sample to screen for the drugs. If you are a potential employee the human resource manager at Best Buy will take your consent form and complete the necessary paperwork needed to send you for a drug test. At a local clinic, your urine sample will be taken and sent to the lab for screening.

Some applicants who know the tests will turn positive will try to cheat their way into employment at Best Buy using synthetic urine. It works sometimes because most drug screens on synthetic urine render negative results. Sometimes, it does not work because urine must be kept at the correct temperature, which can be hard to do with synthetic urine. Since urine decomposes over time, it is only viable within an hour of collecting the sample. If you cannot get to the lab within that hour, the sample must be kept in a sealed plastic bag and stored at 4 degrees Celsius. Therefore, if you feel that you will not pass the test, it is best to detox when going for your first interview. That way, during the second stage, your urine sample will be good to go.

Even when refrigerated, the sample should not be kept for longer than 24 hours. As Drug Test Panels insists, most applicants fail drug tests because the urine is not kept at the right temperature. Fresh urine has a temperature of around 90 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius within 4 minutes of collection. Once taken to the lab, the time taken to get the results depends on how busy the lab is. However, ensure that you do not pass the deadline given by Best Buy to submit the results. Once you pass the drug test, Best Buy will infirm you to go and finish the employment process for you to be a full-fledged employee.

Different Types of Tests Employers Use

• Pre-employment testing

Best Buy conducts pre-employment testing on potential hires. It is usually a condition of employment that an employee must pass the drug test to get the job. The key thing to note here is that it is pre-employment, and once the applicant gets the job, there are other stricter limits. As The Americans with Disabilities Act states, potential employees can undertake medical examination that includes drug testing but only after an offer of employment has been made, and before the job applicant begins the job duties.

• Random Testing

According to FindLaw, random testing involves employers requiring employees to submit to a drug test at any time, with or without reason. Best Buy does not conduct random testing on its employees. Most employers do not conduct random testing unless they have a valid reason. The nature of the job is reason enough to warrant random testing, especially those whose jobs impact public safety, national or property security.

• Reasonable Suspicion Testing

As the name suggests, an employer could conduct drug tests on an employee based on the reasonable suspicion that s/he is under the influence of drugs. Physical appearance such as bloodshot eyes and behavior like a sudden lapse in performance are clear indications that an employee could be using drugs. As such, an employer should include in the employee handbook grounds for drug testing so that employees are well aware. However, you should note that an employer can only conduct reasonable suspicion testing if there is indeed legitimate suspicion. Otherwise, an employee can sue, and the employer will be held liable.

• Post-Accident Testing

If an accident happens on the job and an employer suspects that the employee was under the influence of drugs, then post-accident testing occurs. In such instances, only the employee responsible for the accident undergoes testing. The employer must inform the employee why s/he is being tested.