With increased worker shortages, more companies are trying to create attractive job opportunities. Sam’s Club is one of the biggest wholesalers in the United States, providing jobs to thousands of Americans.
Their competitive wages and employee benefits make it an attractive place to work at. However, getting employed at Sam’s Club requires a few safety measures. One of them being a pre-employment drug test.
So, does Sam’s Club regularly test each of their new employees? When should you expect a drug test at Sam’s Club? Read on to uncover all this and more!
Does Sam’s Club Drug Test?
Yes, employment at Sam’s Club will require a drug test from all new applicants. Drug testing is a way for Sam’s Club to ensure a standard for employees. It also helps create a safe, accident-free working environment.
Depending on what substance you may or may not be taking, it would be wise to stop those substances a few weeks before your drug test.
This gives your body a natural amount of time to purge itself of any foreign substances. There have been “home remedies” to speed up this process. However, these “home remedies” have not been clinically proven to work all the time.
Consulting a doctor about any concerns regarding drug testing is advisable as they can give you an unbiased opinion about your current situation.
What Does Sam’s Club Drug Test Check For?
The one that Sam’s Club uses is a 5-panel drug test. This drug test checks for the following 5 substances:
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Amphetamines (Methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, MDEA)
- Opiates (Codeine, Morphine, Heroin)
The 5-panel drug test is the holy grail of drug tests. It is the most preferred and common drug test used among employers.
There are two ways in which the 5-panel drug test can be taken. Either with a urine sample or a hair sample.
Urine samples are the most common method of testing. Substances last in urine for only up to 30 days. A urine test means you have more time to remove any unwanted substances from your body.
The window of detectability of a urine sample is far shorter than a hair sample. This makes urine samples half as likely to come back with a positive result as compared to a hair sample.
Hair samples are not so common but are still taken. Substances stay in hair follicles for up to 90 days, creating a larger detection window.
It’s good to ask your employer at Sam’s Club as to which sample is required for your test. Most times, it will be the urine sample, but you can never be too sure.
When Does Sam’s Club Drug Test Happen?
There are four instances where Sam’s Club could ask you to take a drug test. Here are the four different situations.
Pre-Employment
The exact date and time for taking the pre-employment drug test vary from candidate to candidate.
There have been situations where new recruits were asked to perform a drug test on the day of the interview. Others were given a specific time to undergo the drug test. Some were even asked to carry out the test during the orientation period.
Some factors that could affect your pre-employment drug test are the position you applied for and the location of the Sam’s Club store.
Most details of pre-employment drug tests vary as different Sam’s Club locations will have different management procedures.
Suspicion
If your supervisor has a valid reason to subject you to a drug test, they will do so without informing you beforehand. Suspicion-based drug tests are uncommon and will only be necessary if there is a good reason.
Promotions
In order to uphold the high employee standard Sam’s Club sets out to achieve, employees that are promoted will more often than not be put through a drug test.
This is even more true when an employee is promoted to management. It is not just Sam’s Club that does this, and it’s quite a common practice in the working industry.
Avoiding accidents
It is normal for workplace-related accidents to happen, especially at a wholesaler that has heavy machinery and sharp appliances.
If an accident does occur, Sam’s Club might have medical-related benefits depending on your level of employment. To make sure that the cause of the accident is indeed accidental, a drug test will be mandatory for those involved in the accident.
How To Prepare for Sam’s Club Drug Test?
There are a few things that you should consider doing before taking your drug test. These things can help improve your physical and mental state while taking the drug test.
- Make sure to eat and drink water before the test (don’t drink too much, you don’t want to dilute your urine)
- Avoid drinking things like coffee and tea before the test
- Avoid heavy exercise before the test
Remember to bring any related documents to the site of the drug test. This can include identification, proof of employment, or necessary paperwork from your supervisor.
It goes without saying that you should stay away from any drugs or substances a few weeks prior to your drug test. There is no cheat way out of a drug test. The only way is to abstain from substances for a period of time.
What If I Fail Sam’s Club Drug Test?
Is it not common for your employer to tell you that you’ve failed the drug test. It is common however for employers to let you know about a job rejection.
In the case of working at Sam’s Club, failing a drug test could be penalized by not being able to re-apply for a job for up to 6 months. This varies depending on the location of the specific Sam’s Club store you applied to.
Since Sam’s Club is operated by Walmart Inc, any job applications to businesses owned by Walmart Inc would be rejected as well. This includes Walmart itself, Home Office, and The Neighborhood Market.
Conclusion
Working at Sam’s Club is a great opportunity for you to gain experience. It comes with many employee benefits, such as a free basic membership.
A 5-panel drug test is mandatory for people wanting to work at Sam’s Club. This is also common practice anywhere else in the working world.
When exactly the drug test is to be taken varies for different Sam’s Club locations. Terms and conditions surrounding the drug test vary as well.
Staying clean and abstaining from drugs or substances is the only sure way of not returning a positive drug test result.
Are you going to apply for a job at Sam’s Club or anywhere else soon? Do you think drug tests should be mandatory for new employees? Let us know in the comments below!