Klonopin Pre-employment Drug Test

In this article, we’ll talk about Klonopin pre-employment drug test detection windows on various types of drug tests.

If you’re thinking about applying for a new job and you take Klonopin, you’re bound to have some questions about pre-employment drug testing. And if your new employer has already scheduled a drug test for you, you could be in panic mode right now because you don’t know what a drug test can pick up.

Does A Pre-Employment Drug Test Look For Klonopin?

An initial drug test doesn’t specifically look for Klonopin, it looks for the class of drugs that Klonopin belongs to. Klonopin is the brand name for Clonazepam which is one of the benzodiazepine classes of drugs. Common names for Klonopin include benzos, K-pins, tranks, and downers.

The most common pre-employment drug test that private employers and government agencies use is a 5-panel drug screen. Klonopin is not screened for on a 5-panel drug screen.

A 5-panel screen looks for:

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

However, since Klonopin is frequently abused in conjunction with other drugs, you could fail the drug test if you use any of those drugs.

A more thorough drug test that is sometimes used, is the 10-panel drug screen. In addition to the illegal substances on the 5-panel screen, the 10-panel drug test includes:

• Benzodiazepines (Klonopin)
• Barbiturates
• Methadone
• Methaqualone
• Propoxyphene

If you get a 10-panel drug test, you will be screened for Klonopin.

Some employers opt for a 12-panel screen which also looks for ecstasy and oxycodone.

The best way to find out which type of pre-employment drug test an employer uses is to go to Indeed.com and search for the company. Then go to the Q&A section and select “drug test”.

What’s The Detection Window For Klonopin On A Saliva Test?

Saliva tests are commonly used for pre-employment drug testing. On a saliva test, intermediate-acting benzodiazepines like Klonopin can usually be detected for up to 48 hours. If you’re a heavy, chronic user however that detection window may be slightly extended.

If you stop taking Klonopin for 48-72 hours before a saliva drug test you should pass the test. To be absolutely sure though, you can easily buy a lab-quality saliva test to use at home. Tests are available at many retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Target, just make sure the one you buy includes a test for benzodiazepines.

Read Also: How To Read Drug Test Results From The Lab

What’s The Detection Window For Klonopin On A Urine Test?

Urinalysis is another very common pre-employment drug testing method. On a urine test, the detection window for Klonopin is usually up to 5 days. To pass a urine screen, you’ll need to stop taking the drug at least 5 days before your test. Giving yourself an extra couple of days would be a good idea just to be certain.

You can purchase DIY urine tests which are very accurate but check the label to make sure the test includes benzodiazepines. Many tests on the shelf will be simple 5-panel tests and those will not detect Klonopin.

What’s The Detection Window For Klonopin On A Blood Test?

Blood tests have a fairly short detection window, and they’re not common in pre-employment drug testing. A blood test is more likely to be used by some employers for reasonable suspicion or post-accident drug test.

With a blood test, Klonopin can be detected for up to 48 hours.

What’s The Detection Window For Klonopin On A Hair Test?

Hair tests have the longest detection times of all, but hair tests are rare for pre-employment testing. If you need to take a hair test, your Klonopin use can be discovered for as long as 90 days after you last took the drug.

There’s nothing you can do to alter the results of a hair follicle test. Shampoos and other substances won’t work, even though you’ll see people making claims about various products.

If you’re applying for a job in the transportation industry, some employers may use a hair follicle test. Jobs in law enforcement, the medical field, the medical supply chain, and high finance are the industries most likely to use pre-employment hair testing.

What Happens If Your Drug Test Is Positive For Klonopin?

Let’s split this answer into two parts.

1) Testing Positive For Klonopin With A Prescription

If you’re worried about taking a pre-employment drug test for Klonopin and the drug has been legally prescribed by your doctor, then you can stop worrying unless the job is a safety-sensitive position.

When your initial drug test of whatever kind comes back positive for benzodiazepines, a confirmatory test will be carried out using a more sensitive testing method like gas chromatography. When a sample positive for the benzodiazepine class of drugs undergoes confirmatory testing, the exact drug in the sample will be identified.

Next, you’ll be contacted by a Medical Review Officer (MRO) – a licensed physician trained to interpret drug testing results. The MRO will call you and ask you some questions about your medical condition and the prescriptions you use.

You’ll need to show the MRO your current, valid, prescription or give them your permission to contact your physician.

If the MRO determines that you will not be impaired or intoxicated by taking the medication as prescribed, your test result will be amended to negative and you’ll pass.

2) Testing Positive For Klonopin Without A Prescription

The procedure is the same as we’ve outlined above, but if you don’t have a prescription, your test result won’t be amended. If you’re “borrowing” prescription medication from a friend, or buying drugs illegally, you won’t be able to provide a prescription.

And if you’re using an old stash that was prescribed to you, you won’t be able to provide a current prescription.

If you believe the drug test result is an error, you can ask for the original sample to be tested again, at your own expense.

Don’t Take A Pre-Employment Drug Test If You Aren’t Certain You’ll Pass

Without wanting to sound rude, taking a pre-employment drug test while you have non-physician-prescribed Klonopin in your system isn’t a smart thing to do.

Other employment drug tests – random, reasonable cause, and post-accident – are tests that could be sprung on you at any moment, and you’ll have no time to prepare. Regardless of whether you’re actually impaired at work because of drug use, the drug test will pick up your drug use over the last few days, the previous week, or past several months.

But when it’s a pre-employment drug test, you have complete control over timing. And the sensible thing to do is to apply for jobs when your system is clear of Klonopin and any other drugs you take.

Find out what type of drug test is used by the company or government agency, and if they test for benzodiazepines, stop using for as long as you need to.

Most private employers will use a saliva or urine test, so for the vast majority of jobs you apply for you will need to abstain for a week at most.

If you’ve already been offered a job and your drug test is in the next day or two, buy a DIY test and see if you’re clear. If not, call and ask to reschedule – rescheduling is often possible for 24 hours. If you can’t reschedule, you need to make a decision.

Is the job a run-of-the-mill position, with thousands of similar openings at other companies? Or is it a job that takes some real effort to get?

If it’s the former, you might decide to take a chance on passing the test. If it’s the latter, it could be better to withdraw your application so you don’t burn your bridges with that company. You can always apply another time, but if you fail a drug test, your positive test result will remain in their system and a future application won’t get anywhere.

And if you haven’t accepted the job offer yet, just wait a few days before you accept. It’s pretty standard to be given 48 hours after accepting a conditional offer of employment to get the drug test done.

Accept the offer in 3 or 4 days, schedule your drug test for late afternoon 2 days later, and you’ve given yourself enough days to get clean for the most common types of pre-employment drug test.

Klonopin Pre-employment Drug Test – Quick Recap

Most pre-employment drug tests are 5-panel saliva or urine tests that don’t include a test for benzodiazepines like Klonopin. However, some employers use a 10-panel screen that does look for benzos.

For a saliva test, you’ll pass if you stop using Klonopin for 48-72 hours. If it’s a urine test, stop using the drug for 5-7 days. Some types of jobs make use of pre-employment hair follicle testing and those tests will detect Klonopin use for 90 days.

Finding out what type of test is in use at a company, and then testing yourself with a 10-panel saliva test or urine test is the best way to make sure your system is clear before you apply for a job.