You wonder: Does Walmart Drug Test?
Are you looking to get a job at Walmart?
What’s important to know?
Keep reading as we have gathered exactly the information that you need!
Let me explain to you if Walmart does any drug tests so you know it once and for all!
Are you ready?
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Does Walmart Drug Test
Walmart is the biggest big-box retailer in the world.
They have business operations in over 27, more than 11,000 stores in more than 4,700 locations.
Walmart offers a variety of products ranging from grocery and entertainment to sporting goods, clothing, and crafts.
With that said, to ensure they remain successful and attract more clients, they need to ensure their employees are safe and secure, at all times.
As a result, it’s possible that Walmart asks you do to a drug test.
However, it’s important that we nuance our answer!
Even though Walmart has the “right” to ask for a drug test, it’s rare that they ask for a pre-employment drug test for many of their positions such as entry-level jobs, managerial positions, or other senior positions.
On the other hand, there are some types of jobs for which Walmart may regularly do drug tests as it’s a question of security and public safety.
For example, if you’re looking to work in the Deli, Tire and Lube Express (TLE), or the Auto Center, selling Guns, Pharmacy, or other high-level functions, you should expect drug tests as Walmart must comply with various safety standards.
In essence, Walmart will want to ensure that its employees who don’t use and abuse any substances that can:
- Affect their job performance
- Put their customers at risk
- Affect how the employee services customers
- If it’s to comply with safety and regulatory standards
As a result, if you plan on working at Walmart and do not want to take any risks, make sure you are clean.
When Does Walmart Drug Test
One of the most common questions that individuals looking to work at Walmart ask is if Walmart does any drug tests on their potential employees.
In most cases, Walmart will not perform a drug test looking to work in entry-level, managerial, or senior positions.
However, some positions like in the deli, pharmacy, tire and lube express (TLE), and the auto center may require testing as Walmart may have to comply with various laws and regulations.
Let’s look at the different situations where you may wonder if Walmart will do drug testing.
Pre-Employment Drug Test
If you are looking to apply for an entry-level position, junior associate, or something similar, although there’s a chance that Walmart may ask you for a drug test, you will likely not be tested.
By searching over the Internet, there are many current and former Walmart employees who state Walmart does not regularly ask for a drug test for interviews or at the orientation of new employees.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a job that requires certain skills or has some security dimension, such as operating heavy machinery, working in the auto center, or working with knives in the deli, you may be asked to do a drug test.
Walmart will generally inform the applicants that they will want to do to a drug test after your interview and if they are interested in hiring you.
However, you should expect Walmart to do a background check on you in nearly all cases.
Random Drug Test
It’s possible that Walmart does random drug tests to ensure that its employees are respecting the safety and security standards.
Random drug tests are conducted on current employees working for Walmart to ensure everyone is clean.
Since Walmart has to be able to show the authorities that it is taking the safety and security of its employees and customers at heart, it may perform some random testing to demonstrate its diligence.
Since the tests are random, Walmart employees will not know in advance when they will be performed.
Reasonable Suspicion Drug Test
For current Walmart employees, if your employer has reasonable suspicion that you are working under the influence of drugs, they may ask you to perform a drug test.
When an employee is behaving in a manner that suggests he or she may be under the influence of drugs, there’s a complaint against an employee, or there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an employee’s faculties may be altered by drugs, Walmart is fully entitled to require a drug test from the suspected employee.
Post-Accident Drug Test
Whenever there’s an accident on the job where it may be relevant to test those involved in the accident, you may be asked to do a drug test by Walmart.
The objective is to make sure that the accident was not caused because of reduced faculties due to drug consumption.
How Does Walmart Drug Test
How will it work if you’re asked to do a drug test?
Typically, when you’re asked by Walmart to do a drug test, you’ll be asked to provide about 45 milliliters of pee for the test.
Walmart will tell you where to go for the drug test (must an accredited and licensed test center).
Once at the test center, you’ll be given a specific cup where you’ll need to collect the pee.
Keep in mind that you will be supervised during the process where someone will make sure that you’re not collecting someone else’s pee, you’re not bringing pee samples hidden in your pockets, and so on.
To do the test, you will be asked to remove your jacket, take off your hat, leave your bag behind, empty your pockets, and go to the bathroom only with the cup they will give you.
Once the pee sample is collected, it will be sent to the lab to be inspected.
The test results should be made available within a day or two.
The test results will be confidentially sent back to Walmart by mail or returned to you in person so you can submit them to Walmart Human Resources within a specific time period.
That’s pretty much what happens when you are asked to do a drug test.
Does Walmart Drug Test FAQs
Now that we’ve covered the essentials regarding your question “does Walmart drug test”, let’s look at some commonly asked questions to further your understanding.
What Type of Drug Test Does Walmart Do?
In most cases, Walmart will do most of its drug tests by doing a urine test.
In essence, you’ll have to collect your pee in a cup and have it tested by an accredited testing center.
You must respect the testing protocol and requirements to ensure that the test is determined to be a valid one.
What Type of Drugs Does Walmart Screen For?
Walmart will generally screen for:
- Marijuana
- Methamphetamines
- Heroin
- Cocaine
- PCP (Pneumocystis pneumonia)
Depending on the Walmart store, they may screen for other drugs as well.
How Long Does A Walmart Drug Test Take?
In most cases, when you’re asked to perform a drug test, you’ll need to do so within twenty-four hours from the moment you’re notified.
Since your body may eliminate traces of drugs in your blood, the idea is to perform the drug test as soon as possible.
The actual drug testing process will not take long as it’s a matter of giving a urine sample.
It will then take the lab about a day or two to analyze your urine sample and provide the results.
In total, the Walmart drug test can take between 2 to 4 days.
What Happens If You Fail A Drug Test?
If you’re looking to work at Walmart and you’re asked to do a pre-employment drug test, failing the test means that you’re likely not going to get the job.
If you’re a current Walmart employee, if you fail your test results, you will likely get disciplinary sanctions.
In some cases, you can be terminated immediately depending on the circumstances of your drug use and your specific work functions.
Walmart has strict policies when dealing with substance abuse.
Those who are fired due to drug use or abuse may see themselves banned to apply for any other job at Walmart for a certain period of time after they were fired.
It’s very possible that if you’re fired due to drug use, you may no longer be able to work at Walmart ever again.
Why Does Walmart Drug Test?
Walmart will want you to do a drug test primarily to ensure that all its employees, workers, staff, visitors, and customers are safe and secure.
To that effect, Walmart has adopted policies and procedures governing the use of drugs on the job.
Walmart will strictly apply its code of conduct policies and procedures whenever the security and safety of another employee or a person are at risk.
Also, there are federal laws requiring Walmart, as an employer, to conduct drug tests, particularly in safety-sensitive functions such as transportation, automobile, heavy equipment and machinery, and so on.
Walmart may conduct a drug test for assessing an employee for reasons that may include post-offer, random drug testing, follow-up testing, and post-accident testing.
In some cases, job applicants may also be asked to do a drug test, although very rare, before they are hired.
Does Walmart Do Drug Test Takeaways
So there you have it folks!
Walmart is a great company to work for.
In fact, Walmart employs over two million people and operates over 11,000 stores.
Working for Walmart means that you’ll need to comply with the Walmart Global Statement of Ethics and Code of Conduct prohibiting the use, possession, and solicitation of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.
Walmart’s objective is to ensure that all its employees, customers, suppliers, partners, and individuals interacting with Walmart are physically and mentally safe.
For those looking to find a job at Walmart, it’s rare that you’ll be asked for a pre-employment drug test unless you’re applying for a job that is skilled or may pose security and safety hazards (like operating cars and machinery or selling guns).
For current employees, you may be asked to do a drug test if you’re suspected of consuming drugs, if you’ve been involved in an accident, or if Walmart is doing a random check.
Walmart wants to have a workplace that is drug-free and alcohol-free to prevent accidents, avoid conflict, and provide its workers and customers with the best possible experience.
I hope that you have found the clarifications that you needed.
