Does Burger King Drug Test Its Employees?
Burger King has always been in the limelight over its low hourly rate and poor working conditions. Unfortunately, beggars cannot afford to be choosers. So if you desperately need a job and the restaurant offers you one, you will be excited to take it.
However, there are usually strings attached to many job offers, one of which is passing a drug test before being added to the payroll. For a habitual drug user, such a conditional offer will mean losing the job before being hired. Still, you cannot be sure about which companies make such conditional offers which makes you wonder if Burger King drug test its employees. Here is everything you need to know about its drug testing policy.
Depends on Several Factors
According to Detox Marijuana Fast, Burger King does not conduct drug tests for low-ranking employees. This means that if you are hoping to get a managerial position, you should be prepared for a drug test, and failing the test implies that Burger King cannot entrust you with the job.
However, even if you are a low-ranking employee, some states, such as Florida, will still carry out drug tests on all employees. For Burger King restaurants in states that do not conduct drug tests on low-ranking employees, the managers will keep a close eye on the employees.
If you are suspected to be under the influence when an accident occurs, you shall undergo a drug test. Furthermore, random drug testing still occurs at Burger King, but not in all locations. Therefore, the best decision you can make is not to take drugs if you want to remain an employee.
Burger King uses unsupervised urine tests to check for drugs in an employee’s system. However, some sources like How I got Job published that the tests are supervised to ensure accuracy.
Since Burger King does not have the requisite equipment to conduct the urine tests, the tests are usually conducted at different locations, and Burger King informs you of the timeframe to expect the results. If you test positive for drugs, Burger King reserves the right to fire you or require you to attend a rehabilitation clinic.
Since the drug tests are voluntary, you can refuse to undergo the test, but Burger King can act in whatever way they feel is appropriate. For instance, if a work-related accident occurs, they need proof that you were sober. For this reason, refusing to take the test could cost you your workers’ compensation.
Perhaps Burger King Should Start Drug Testing All Its Employees
In 2015, Eater published that one Burger King Employee, Courtney Suzanne Morgalo, had been arrested for selling methamphetamine from the restaurant. Morgalo worked at the drive-thru window and used the opportunity to increase her earnings by selling meth to customers who believed that she was under the influence while working.
Police found evidence of Morgalo’s activities after searching her car and recovering meth, scales, and plastic bags, as well as prescription pills in her pockets. She was already on probation for another drug charge hence was arrested and charged.
You would think that Burger King should have learned of its mistakes from another incident that happened in 2006. Two officers, Henry Gabaldon and Mark Landavazo could not resist the urge for some burgers from Burger King.
Therefore, on October 8, 2006, they drove in their patrol car to a drive-thru in Lunas, New Mexico, and ordered some burgers. Halfway through their burgers, the officers noticed marijuana in the meat and confirmed their suspicions using a field test kit.
They rushed to the hospital for treatment as their fellow officers arrested three Burger King Employees for possession of marijuana. According to Fast Food News, Burger King was sued for its employees’ actions. The article added that the restaurant must have wished it had conducted drug testing on its employees.
Unfortunately, it seems that Burger King is still not ready to be proactive and avoid such lawsuits in future by ensuring that none of its staff members reports to work while under the influence of drugs. In 2017, two Burger King employees were accused of running a drug operation in which the code phrase for buying marijuana was to order “French fries extra crispy.”
Customers would ask if “nasty boy” was working, referring to Garett Norris, and they would buy marijuana using the code phrase. Despite being faced with such accusations, Burger King prefers not to be strict with employees who play fast and loose with its reputation.
You Can Still Test Positive Even if You Don’t Do Drugs
Imagine your shock when the results come back positive, yet you are sure that you do not have any drug in your system. Well, that happens in most cases when you innocently take some bread rolls with poppy seeds in them.
Many employees have tested positive, much to their surprise, only for them to discover that poppy seeds cause false positives for opiates or morphine in your system. A pipefitter from Liverpool tested positive for morphine. Luckily, a hair follicle test that set him back £120 came back negative.
He researched and discovered that poppy seeds cause false positives. The pipefitter figured the bread and buns he had consumed a day before the test must have caused the results to be positive. Unfortunately, while his company understood the reasons and took him back, the contractor who had hired him did not and could not allow the pipefitter to return to work.
Poppy seeds are not the only foods that can cause false positives; even sleep aids could indicate you have consumed barbiturates. On the other hand, diet pills, nasal decongestants, hay fever medication, and cold medicine lead to a false positive for amphetamines.
Hemp food products could result in a false positive for marijuana. Therefore, consider what you have consumed in the days leading up to the false positive and prove your innocence.
You can also read:
- Does Staples Drug Test Its Employees?
- Does Wegmans Drug Test Its Employees?
- Does Domino’s Drug Test Its Employees?
- Does Bath and Body Works Drug Test Employees?