In this post, we’ll answer your questions about Chipotle. Does Chipotle drug test new hires? When do they drug test? What type of drug test does Chipotle use? And what drugs does Chipotle test for?
Fast-food jobs are pretty easy to get and many of the big chains have a fairly high rate of employee turnover.
Because of this, some companies aren’t too picky about who they hire, which means that when you go for a fast-food job, you might not need to jump through the background check and drug testing hoops that are so common in other industries.
But do they drug test applicants? Let’s find out!
Does Chipotle Drug Test New Hires in 2024?
When you apply for a job at Chipotle, you won’t be asked to take a drug test at any point during the hiring process.
That means you won’t have to worry about getting clean before you apply or need to mess around with any drug test cheating methods.
This probably sounds like very good news to you. But there’s a small downside.
Because they don’t drug test anyone, you could be stuck working shifts with people who are using drugs on the job. This means you could have to work extra hard to pick up any slack.
Work at Chipotle is very fast-paced and, as long as you can handle that kind of environment, you’ll enjoy your job.
You will need to pass a background check, but the company is known to give people with criminal backgrounds a second chance, so don’t worry about the background check too much.
When Does Chipotle Drug Test?
The main concern for any drug user working at Chipotle will be the drug test that’s required for workers’ comp after a workplace accident.
If you sustain an injury, or someone else is injured because of your actions, you may need to take a drug test.
This is because Chipotle’s insurance company will have to cover the cost of the workers’ comp claim, and insurance companies can refuse to pay if the accident occurred because of drug use.
If an insurance company has the opportunity to legally refuse a claim, they’ll take it.
Chipotle prohibits the use of drugs at work, and being under the influence of drugs on your shift is grounds for dismissal.
If your workers’ comp claim is denied because of a positive drug test you would have to pay for your own medical expenses and you wouldn’t receive an income while you were recovering.
Accidents do happen at Chipotle, this isn’t a theoretical warning.
Restaurant kitchens are dangerous places. Cuts and burns are common injuries, and slips and falls are the most common injury of all because the floors are always wet.
Your supervisor won’t rush at you with a drug test, and they’ll most likely encourage you to say nothing and carry on working, but if you’re injured and unable to work, you’ll need that workers’ comp money to see you through.
Taking drugs in your own time is nobody’s business but your own, but if you go to work under the influence, you’re putting your safety and the safety of your coworkers at risk.
Read Also: Does home depot drug test employees?
Will You Be Drug Tested If You’re High At Work?
That kind of drug testing is known as reasonable cause drug testing and it’s very unlikely to happen at Chipotle.
Chipotle’s policy is that employees should not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work, and your employees can be terminated if they violate that policy.
But in reality, every store manager will have their own way of dealing with an employee under the influence. Some will let you carry on working unless you’re an obvious danger to yourself or your coworkers. Others will send you home to straighten yourself out, and some will give you a written warning.
If you receive three written warnings, you’ll be fired.
Chipotle employees report that their work environment is very easygoing, but it’s never a good idea to abuse an easygoing workplace culture, especially when the company offers good benefits.
What Type Of Drug Test Does Chipotle Use?
Drug tests for workers comp accident claims are usually urine tests.
A drug test will need to be taken within 8 hours of the accident. Alcohol is tested for with a breathalyzer and the test will need to be taken within 2 hours of the accident.
You don’t have to agree to any drug test at work, and the law doesn’t require that you pass a drug test to be eligible for workers’ comp.
But a refusal is viewed as evidence that you were under the influence, and companies use that as grounds to deny a workers’ comp claim.
A urine drug test involves attending a sample collection facility where you’ll be told to urinate into a sample cup.
You’ll do this in a private bathroom, and it’s usual practice for the water at the washbasin to be turned off and for the toilet bowl water to have blue dye added so that you can’t dilute your sample.
Your urine sample will be checked to make sure it’s the correct temperature, again this is to prevent adulteration with water or fake urine that you may have hidden in your clothing.
Then you complete the paperwork and your sample is sent off to a lab for analysis.
If your sample tests are positive, a second analysis is done to confirm the result.
What Drugs Does Chipotle Test For?
If you have to take a drug test at Chipotle, you’ll be tested for the most commonly abused drugs which are:
- Opioids
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines and methamphetamine
- Marijuana
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
Your Chipotle Tuition Assistance Is At Risk If You Use Drugs At Work
One impressive benefit you can get as a Chipotle employee is tuition assistance. As well as offering what is now a fairly standard allowance towards tuition costs, Chipotle set up a program where you can obtain a debt-free degree in fields related to Chipotle’s business needs.
Given the extortionate cost of a college education and the long-term problems that college debt can cause, getting your degree essentially for free is an absolutely huge benefit that you do not want to risk losing.
Saving yourself tens of thousands of dollars on the cost of a degree is well worth the busy shifts and the occasional customer with a bad attitude.
But you’ll risk your education if you go to work high and have an accident.
You might have no intention of going to work high or taking drugs at work, but it’s so very easy to be tempted by other employees who aren’t as responsible.
Chipotle employees swap stories on social media about smoking weed in walk-in refrigerators, or when they’re taking a break out in their car. Given the easy-going workplace culture, you might think it wouldn’t hurt to take a little something because others are doing it too.
But keep the possibility of an accident in mind. Workplace accident risk is increased when drugs are involved. Department of Labor figures show that drug use is a cause of 65% of workplace accidents.
If you’re fired for drug use, whether it’s accident-related or because you’ve received three written warnings, you’ll lose your tuition assistance, and you may have to repay some portion of the amount already paid for you.
Final Thoughts
Chipotle does fast food in a unique way, and for a fast-food company, they treat their employees really well. You won’t have to take a drug test to get hired at Chipotle, and most of their restaurants have a relaxed workplace culture that the staff enjoys.
However, taking drugs at work or turning up to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol is against company policy, and you could be fired or receive written warnings if you violate that policy.
If you’re involved in an accident at work that results in a workers’ comp claim, you’ll most likely have to take a drug test and if you fail that test, your workers’ comp claim could be denied and you could lose your job.
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Robert Eric (a lover of Cats and Dogs) is the co-founder of HireFelonsJobs. In our search for a better life, after… A platform was created for the purpose of easing the search for ex-convicts.