Costco tests new prospects for drug intake while interviewing them. Before you can get hired at Costco, it would first have to be confirmed that you do not partake in drug use and abuse. So before hiring, they test for all kinds of substances like cocaine, phencyclidine, marijuana, opiates, and amphetamines. They could go further to test for more if they believe that there might be more other substances in the person they are interviewing.
Costco does drug tests initially when interviewing a person for a position in their company. However, after the initial drug test, they do not conduct another until they find it necessary. It may be because they have reason to believe that a particular person is suspected of drug use. It is then that they do another drug test. There is another instance, though, that they might have to do another drug test, and this is after an accident in the workplace. Following a work accident, the treatment could require medical attention, and as such, a test would have to be conducted. Costco takes substance use and abuse very seriously, and so they try to make sure that none of their employees partakes in drug abuse, and that is the reason for the drug tests; the preliminary one that is taken before a person gets hired, and the one that is taken upon suspicion of drug use, and then the one that is taken after a minor or major workplace accident. Every employee at Costco is tested for drugs, with no exceptions. No matter the position you are applying for, Costco takes drug testing very seriously. You will be tested thoroughly for any substance abuse. And when you eventually get hired to work at Costco, if, during your time there, you are suspected of using drugs, you will be sent to take a drug test to confirm if you are indeed using drugs because if you are, you will likely not be able to continue working at Costco any longer, it is their policy.
When Does Costco Test for Drugs?
Costco only tests for drugs at the initial interview. If it is one interview, you would need to do it for the position you apply for. They would test you for drug use right at that interview. They would do a mouth swab, taking your saliva for testing, right there in the interview room. But, if the position you are applying for requires you to go through 2 or even 3 interviews, then the drug test will only be taken after the first two interviews, or if it is a total of two interviews, after the first interview. For multi-interviews, the drug test is taken at the last interview. After all, it goes well. During the coronavirus pandemic, they still tested for drugs, showing that even a pandemic does not alter their policy and stance on drug testing, so Costco tests for drugs every time.
How Does Costco Drug Test?
To show how serious Costco is in testing for drugs, they have a procedure:
For applicants interested in applying for a job at Costco, before any test is carried out, the first and foremost step is that they let the applicants know that they are required to sign an agreement form stating that they are okay with being drug-tested. They do not object to the conclusion made by Costco after the test. This first crucial step is not skipped in any circumstances because it is only after this that they move on to the next stage.
Before the drug test and interview day, Costco would have prepared a base for assemblage, a place where all applicants will be directed for the second stage. So, after the first stage, which involves the applicants agreeing to the drug test, they are then moved to this base prepared by Costco itself, approved, and accepted by Costco. This is the second stage in the procedure if the Costco company carries out the drug testing before hiring their new employees. It is also their policy in the company.
After the second stage, which is the movement of the willing applicants to the room selected by Costco itself, the next stage in the drug testing is the collection. In this stage, people authorized to gather test samples now come in and do their thing. They will, in private, of course, collect and gather samples from these willing applicants. They will be using only approved apparatus for the collection of the sample throughout this procedure. They will collect these samples in this third stage. They also usually have custody and control documents available with them at this stage.
And then this stage is usually the final stage for applicants whose samples, upon testing, come back negative. At this stage, such applicants are then given the good news that they have passed the Costco drug test and are now declared drug-free and compatible to work in Costco. But, on the other hand, if it is found to be positive, it means such an applicant is found to be using drugs and, as such, is not compatible with Costco’s policy. So, at this point, another test is usually taken, and if that one comes out positive too, such a person will most likely not get hired.
FAQs
- Does Costco test everyone? Yes. Costco does not exclude anybody when it comes to testing for drugs. They test everyone and everyone who comes in for a job. From stockers to forklift operators.
- What kind of drug test does Costco carry out? They do mouth swabs for their drug testing, they collect saliva to test for drugs. This way, they can uncover in a person’s system, drugs that were taken in less than 48 hours.
- Can I test my sample in another lab? Yes. Applicants have the right to test the sample collected in another lab, different from Costco’s. This lab has to be certified though.
