For the majority of their entry-level positions, you won’t need to have previous experience, and while a high school diploma or GED is preferred, it’s not a strict requirement. What about other hiring policies? Does Family Dollar drug test and will you need to pass a background check?
Family Dollar tends to have lower hiring standards than many other retailers and this makes the company an attractive option for those who face employment difficulties.
In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know before you apply for a job with Family Dollar.
Does Family Dollar Drug Test Employees in 2024?
Family Dollar, along with its parent company Dollar Tree, operates a drug-free workplace policy.
To enforce that policy, they carry out pre-employment drug testing for some jobs, reasonable cause drug testing, and post-accident drug testing.
Let’s break it down.
Does Family Dollar Drug Test For;
Store Positions?
In general, applicants for Family Dollar store positions won’t need to take a pre-employment drug test.
The majority of store-based positions at Family Dollar are for customer service representatives, and according to current employees, you won’t need to pass a drug test during the hiring process.
Customer service representatives are responsible for a wide variety of duties at Family Dollar stores, including:
- Working the cash register
- Receiving merchandise
- Unloading delivery trucks
- Stocking shelves
- Assisting customers
- Cleaning
Other roles on offer at Family Dollar retail locations are store manager and assistant store manager. If you apply for either of these positions, there’s a possibility that you’ll need to pass a drug test.
Warehouse Roles Position?
Family Dollar warehouse positions usually require a pre-employment drug test. Many warehouse jobs involve operating heavy equipment, so pre-employment drug testing is a safety measure that employers take to try to minimize workplace accidents.
Even if you don’t apply for a job that clearly involves operating machinery, like a forklift operator, Family Dollar expects employees to be flexible and willing to learn how to use warehouse equipment. Because of this, they may ask you to pass a drug test so that they know they’re employing someone who will be able to use the equipment after they’ve been through the required training.
Yard Drivers Position?
Family Dollar distribution centers also employ yard drivers. Yard drivers are required to hold a commercial driver’s license Class A (CDL). Department of Transportation (DOT) rules require all employees in CDL positions to pass a DOT pre-employment drug test. CDL holders are also subject to random drug tests, reasonable cause drug tests, and post-accident drug tests.
A DOT drug test is a urinalysis that checks for the following drugs:
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
- Amphetamine
- Methamphetamine
- MDMA
- MDA
- Opioids
- Codeine
- Morphine
- 6-AM (heroin)
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
Failing a DOT drug test, whether it’s a pre-employment drug test or a drug test given for a different reason, will result in the suspension of your CDL. You won’t be able to work in any role that requires a CDL until you’ve completed the Return To Duty process, which involves completing a drug treatment or drug education program and passing multiple drug tests.
Reasonable Cause Drug Testing At Family Dollar
If you appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol during your shift, your manager could ask you to take a drug test.
Family Dollar has a drug-free workplace policy, and if you’re in violation of this policy, you can be fired.
However, employees report that reasonable cause drug testing at stores is rare because of the way that stores are staffed. Family Dollar stores use minimal staff and the approach of store managers appears to be one of turning a blind eye as long as the work gets done.
If a manager sends someone out for a test or sends them home, then they’ll have a difficult time running the store because of the low staffing levels.
It’s not a good idea to work with drugs in your system, though. If you’re too slow or making mistakes, you’re more likely to receive warnings based on your performance, and this can lead to your termination.
You’re also more likely to be involved in an accident and then you will have to take a drug test.
Reasonable cause drug testing is much more likely to be carried out at Family Dollar distribution centers due to the dangers of working in a warehouse environment.
Obviously, a warehouse supervisor will not risk the safety of employees by letting intoxicated staff operate the equipment. But since all employees need to be aware of what is going on around them to avoid causing an accident or being involved in an accident, if you appear to be on drugs, you’ll face a drug test.
A reasonable cause drug test could be given if you display certain signs, including but not limited to:
- Unsteady movements
- Red or bloodshot eyes
- Smelling of drugs or alcohol
- Drowsiness or falling asleep
- Inability to follow instructions
- Aggressive or emotional outbursts
- Paranoia
- Excessive clumsiness
- Slurred speech
- Poor judgment
Post Accident Drug Testing At Family Dollar
If you have an accident at a Family Dollar store or warehouse, they will ask you to take a drug test. You don’t have to take a drug test, of course, but if you refuse, they will assume that you’re positive for drugs and act accordingly.
Employers insist on post-accident drug tests to protect themselves from liability issues and to try to minimize the financial losses associated with covering the costs of medical treatment and sick pay.
While pre-employment drug testing for non-safety-sensitive positions costs the company money without providing any real benefit, and reasonable causes drug testing of store employees to cause short staffing issues, post-accident drug testing can save the company thousands of dollars of injury-related costs if the employee tests positive. It’s the one type of drug testing that is guaranteed to take place at a Family Dollar store.
What Type Of Drug Test Does Family Dollar Use?
If you’re asked to take a drug test at Family Dollar, you’ll take a 5-panel urine drug test.
A 5-panel test screens your urine sample for the most commonly abused illegal substances, which are:
- Opiates
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Amphetamines and methamphetamine
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
Pre-employment drug tests are usually carried out at an offsite facility – a local clinic, or sample collection site.
Reasonable cause and post-accident drug testing are carried out on the spot.
If you’re applying for a position that will most likely require a drug test, you’ll need to make sure drugs are out of your system before you apply.
Drug detention times with a urinalysis are as follows:
- Opiates – up to 4 days
- Cocaine – up to 4 days
- Amphetamines and methamphetamine – up to 4 days
- Marijuana – up to 30 days (heavy use can be even longer)
- Phencyclidine (PCP) – up to 14 days
Because the detection times for marijuana are so variable and depend on your body composition, frequency of use, and quantity used, it’s sensible to take a drug test at home before you apply for any job that requires a drug test.
DIY drug test kits are widely available, easy to use, and inexpensive, and using a test kit will give you confidence in your ability to pass a drug test.
To use a DIY urine test, all you need to do is collect a sample of urine, then apply a small quantity to the sections on a reagent strip. Wait a few minutes, then read the results. Testing kits come with several tests in the box, so if you test positive, you can wait a few days, then test again.
Is Medical Marijuana Okay To Use At Family Dollar?
Musical marijuana use for employees is a confusing and fast-changing field. In states where medical marijuana is legal, unless specific employment protections have been passed into law, your employer can still terminate you for medical marijuana use because the drug is still illegal at the federal level.
We haven’t been able to locate a specific policy about medical marijuana for Family Dollar, and the lack of a policy usually means that an employer won’t tolerate its use.
You’ll need to check the medical marijuana employment laws for your state or your city. Sometimes a city has enacted protections for medical marijuana users, while no protection exists at the state level.
Even where lawmakers have enacted protection for medical marijuana users, this doesn’t cover safety-sensitive positions like warehouse roles or driving positions.
Other Pre-Employment Checks At Family Dollar
You’ll need to pass a background check to work at Family Dollar. The background check applies to all candidates, no matter the position you’re applying for.
Background checks take place after you’ve accepted a conditional offer of employment.
Having a criminal record won’t automatically disqualify you from being eligible for employment at Family Dollar, but some offenses will mean that they’re unlikely to hire you.
Theft and fraud are usually disqualifying offences, and violent offenses or sexual offenses could also be a problem.
Quick Recap
Family Dollar makes use of various types of drug testing to enforce its drug-free workplace policy.
Most retail store employees won’t need to take a pre-employment drug test, although applicants for assistant manager and store manager positions could be asked to pass a drug test.
If you’ve applied for a job at a Family Dollar distribution center, you’ll usually need to take a drug test, and this will definitely be the case if the job you’ve applied for involves the use of heavy equipment or requires a CDL.
Family Dollar can also ask you to take a drug test if you appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and they will require a drug test if you have an accident at work.
If you have to take a drug test, it will be a urinalysis screening for opiates, cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamine, marijuana, and phencyclidine (PCP).
See Also: Does Wendy’s Drug Test?
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