Does Sam’s Club Drug Test?

If you’re thinking about working for Sams club, you may wonder—Does Sam’s Club Drug Test?

The answer to that question is, yes they do. Sam’s Club has a drug-free workplace policy, and under that policy, they may require drug tests during the hiring process, after an accident, for reasonable suspicion, and prior to promotion.

Does Sam’s Club Drug Test New Hire in 2024?

As part of their hiring policy, Sam’s Club reserves the right to carry out drug tests on candidates.

However, whether you’re actually going to be required to take a drug test appears to vary between states, and from store to store. A drug test could also depend on the position you’ve applied for.

At your interview, if Sam’s Club wants to move forward with your application, you’ll be told that you need to pass a background check, and you may be asked to take a drug test.

Before any of these checks take place, though, you’ll need to accept a conditional offer of employment. A conditional offer of employment has, you guessed it, conditions attached.

All applicants will need to pass a background check, and some will need to take a drug test as well. Once you accept the conditional job offer, the system will automatically send you an email about your background check, and if required, an email about a drug screen.

What Positions Require A Drug Test?

Applying for any position at Sam’s Club might result in a drug test. In practice, though, some positions are more likely to trigger a drug test than others.

If you apply for a position in the meat department, you’ll work with knives and saws, and there’s a strong focus on safety, so don’t be surprised if you get the drug test email.

Pharmacy roles will also require a drug test because you’ll be dealing with customer medications that need to be correctly dispensed. Sam’s Club also needs to make sure they don’t place anyone with substance abuse issues within easy reach of a pharmacy full of drugs.

At Sam’s Club, applicants for managerial roles will need to take a drug test. This includes anyone entering the manager training program, and anyone being promoted from an entry-level position. Drug testing also takes place when a manager transfers to a different store.

Does Sams Club Drug Test At Orientation?

No, all drug tests and background checks take place before you’re scheduled for your orientation.

If you weren’t asked to take a drug test when you accepted your conditional offer of employment, you don’t need to worry about being asked to take a test when you attend your orientation or first workday at Sam’s Club.

Receiving your orientation date means that you’ve already passed your pre-employment checks!

How Long Do You Have To Complete The Pre-Employment Drug Test?

Sam’s Club will send you an email with instructions for taking the drug test. The email will tell you where to go for the test, and it will give you a time limit for submitting your sample. This is usually 24 hours.

If it’s impossible for you to attend your drug test during that time you should contact the store and ask them to send you another email with a rescheduled drug test.

Managers will usually honor your request but probably won’t reissue the email more than once.

If you don’t complete the drug test within the time limit, your job offer could be withdrawn.

Other Drug Testing Requirements

The Sam’s Club drug and alcohol policy requires employees to submit to drug testing if there’s reason to suspect an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You can also be asked to take a drug test after an accident.

Reasonable Cause Drug Testing

You’ll only be at risk of a reasonable cause drug test if you show signs of being intoxicated at work. There’s quite a range of behaviors that could trigger suspicion. These include:

• Bloodshot eyes
• Smelling of drugs or alcohol
• Slurred speech
• Impaired movement
• Falling asleep
• Inability to carry out your duties
• Uncharacteristic emotional outbursts
• Paranoia

Failing a reasonable cause drug test is grounds for instant dismissal.

Post Accident Drug Testing

You may be asked to take a drug test if you have an accident at work that results in injury, or in damage to company property.

A drug test is more likely if the injury requires off-site medical attention, or if the injury could lead to a workers’ comp claim.

As far as damage to company property is concerned, employees report that causing damages over $500 will result in a drug test.

What Type Of Drug Test Does Sam’s Club Use?

You’ll be asked to take a urine drug test. The drug test doesn’t take place at the store, you’ll need to attend the location given on your drug test email.

If you’ve never taken a drug test before, you might feel a little nervous and unsure about what to expect.

The first thing to know is you won’t have to pee in front of anyone. You’ll be given a urine sample cup and directed to a private bathroom.

For a drug test sample, you need to provide a minimum amount of urine. It’s not a huge amount, and usually, 45ml of urine is sufficient, but if you can’t produce enough, you’ll have to hang around until you need to use the bathroom.

To avoid unnecessary delays, drink some water or soda before your appointment. But don’t drink an excessive amount or you could end up with an accidentally diluted urine sample.

Measures are also in place to prevent deliberate attempts to dilute samples. The water in the toilet bowl usually has dye added, and the water at the washbasins is turned off.

When your urine sample is tested at the lab, it’s checked for creatine levels. If the levels are too low, as is the case with dilution, then the sample will be rejected and you’ll fail the drug test.

What Drugs Does Sam’s Club Test For?

Your sample will be tested for the most commonly abused recreational drugs using a 5-panel drug screen. The substances tested for are:

• Opiates
• Cocaine
• Marijuana
• Amphetamines and methamphetamine
• Phencyclidine (PCP)

These drugs have varying detection periods. Abstaining from cocaine, opiates, and amphetamines for one week is usually long enough to pass a drug test. Phencyclidine takes 2 weeks to clear your system.

Marijuana can have a really long detection window depending on your level of use.

Light, infrequent use shouldn’t be detectable after 1 – 2 weeks. But heavy or chronic users can still fail a drug test up to 3 months after last using marijuana.

One way to know if you’ll pass a drug test is by taking a DIY test at home. Once the test gives you the all-clear, you won’t have anything to worry about if you’re asked to take a pre-employment drug test.

Is Medical Marijuana Okay At Sam’s Club?

Unfortunately, the answer is a firm no. If you need to take a pre-employment drug test at Sam’s Club, and you fail the test because of marijuana, having a medical marijuana card won’t be of any help.

Even in states where medical marijuana is legal, the drug is still classed as a schedule 1 illegal substance at the federal level, and this is the law that Sam’s Club applies.

When the lab tests your urine for marijuana, they look for THC metabolites. THC is the intoxicating component of marijuana. Some other cannabis products do not contain THC but can provide some medicinal benefits like pain and anxiety relief.

If you use CBD oil, that is certified as being THC free, you wouldn’t test positive for marijuana use.

Will Sam’s Club Hire You If You Fail The Drug Test?

Failing the drug test will almost certainly result in your conditional job offer being withdrawn.

Once that happens, you won’t be able to apply for any other positions until 12 months have passed.

If you fail a drug test as an employee and end up getting fired, you could also be blocked from applying for jobs at Walmart. Sam’s Club is owned by Walmart and the two companies share information.

If you’re not confident that you can pass a drug test, it’s risky to apply for a job. The better option is to stop using drugs during your job hunt.

You can carry out your own drug test at home to check whether you’re in the clear, and DIY drug tests are accurate and easy to use.

Why Does Sam’s Club Drug Test?

Pre-employment drug testing feels like a huge imposition doesn’t it? Surely, it’s none of an employer’s business what you do in your personal life. Well, employers don’t see it that way.

Here are three of the main reasons employers feel that they have a right to invade your privacy (with your consent of course).

Problem Drug Users Won’t Apply For A Job

While a recreational user can usually abstain from drugs during a job search, someone with a drug problem will continue to use their drug of choice.

By making applicants pass a drug test as a condition of employment, employers deter applications from people with drug problems.

If addicts don’t apply, employers don’t end up wasting their time going through thousands of applications and interviewing unsuitable candidates.

Drug Possession Is Illegal

Whether drug possession should be illegal or not is a hot topic. But for now, with the exception of marijuana in some states, it’s against the law to possess drugs. Drug possession is often a felony offense.

From an employer’s point of view, if you choose to break the law, and risk the tough penalties associated with a felony drug conviction, you might be willing to break company rules and regulations as well.

Drug Users Cost Employers Money

You might be a model employee. Always on time, never sick, giving 110% during your workday, and so on. But a prospective employer doesn’t know you yet. They do have access to statistics and experience, though.

In general, drug users take more sick days, are less punctual, and are less productive than non-drug-using employees. Drug users also have a higher rate of workplace accidents, and are more likely to change jobs frequently.

Wrapping Up

Sam’s Club carries out drug testing on candidates and on employees.

While the retailer reserves the right to drug test all successful applicants once a job offer has been accepted, in reality, drug testing requirements appear to vary from store to store.

If your position requires a drug test before your employment is confirmed, you’ll receive an email with all the details. If you don’t receive that email, then you won’t need to take a test.

Once you’re hired, you could face a drug test if you show signs of being under the influence of drugs at work, and if you have an accident, you may be asked to take a drug test.

Sam’s Club tests your urine sample for opiates, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, and phencyclidine. Failing a drug test is grounds for dismissal.

See Also: List of Companies That Don’t Drug Test