Amazon is an e-retailing giant, and they would properly still dominate the e-commerce market for years to come. Thus, there’s no doubt that people vie strongly for a vacancy in this well-known company. If you’re one of those applicants who are asking themselves, “Does Amazon drug test?” and how the test goes, then you’re at the right place.
In today’s article, we will cover everything you need to know regarding Amazon’s drug tests.
Table of Contents
Does Amazon Drug Test?
Cut to the chase, they do. Not once or twice, but the test takes place quite frequently, both pre-employment and during employment.
When And How Do They Drug Test Job Applicants?
While Amazon staff take a drug test randomly once a month, job applicants only get “the chance” when they pass the first recruiting rounds of the hiring process. In detail, the process has 3 main phases:
First, you will have a face-to-face interview with the warehouse manager in your area. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon new hire orientation would be online. As Amazon doesn’t ask for the applicant’s resume, the interview acts as the determining factor for earning the ticket to the next round.
See how to answer interview questions or Amazon interview questions and answers (plus how to prepare for the interview) here:
Then, Amazon will run a background check on the candidates’ criminal records and previous experience. However, not all people with felonies get rejected as the company would also consider the severeness of the crime. Moreover, Amazon would highly appreciate your honesty.
Amazon will do a background check in the second round. – Source: Edge Information
Finally, applicants will move to the drug testing round in which the company collects samples of their saliva. Then, the laboratory will analyze these specimens to identify illegal substances like THC or cocaine. If the candidates pass the test, they will be official Amazon employees.
Employee’s Random Drug Test
As mentioned above, Amazon does require random drug tests on random employees. In other words, they can perform the test at any time and on anyone. They even include a complete guide for the employee’s testing.
In detail, they would randomly pick specific employees on each floor and department of the company to join the test. Then, the chosen staff members will engage in an Amazon drug test to detect any internal transgression and see how clean the system is.
As the test’s nature is random, it could either be advantageous or disadvantageous.
Due to the sudden selection, you won’t have time to prepare or use any emergency trick to hack the drug test. On the other hand, this selection form also means that the chance of being chosen during your employment at Amazon is super low.
The company employs hundreds of thousands of staff members. Higher chances are that the random test might not reach you unless you’re in real bad luck.
Amazon performs random drug tests frequently. – Source: Healthline
However, if your work with heavy machinery like a straddle carrier or a forklift, you might face higher chances of being selected. Moreover, employees at departments with higher risks like the electrical ones also possess higher possibilities of being the chosen one.
Also, if there is an accident and somehow you have something to do with it, Amazon will call for a drug test. Moreover, according to the policies, Amazon random drug tests are non-negotiable. In other words, in no way can you sneak out of it. They also include this requirement in their job description.
Does Amazon Drug Test Temporary Employees?
No.
They only perform drug tests on their warehouse staff members. Temporary staff won’t need to take the test either before or after their employment. However, don’t be overconfident. Amazon can and will take action if they notice any suspicious acts in the workplace.
What Forms Does The Test Take?
While drug tests appear in different forms, from a blood test to urine or hair follicles test, Amazon utilizes a particular drug testing method named the mouth swab test.
Amazon uses saliva drug tests to detect drug uses. – Source: iStock
There is a medical team of experts working for Amazon. When you’re in the test, they will instruct the basic steps and conduct the swabs on you. In other words, there would be strict supervision during the process. As a result, test-takers would properly have no chance to commit any acts of cheating.
What Is A Mouth Swab Drug Test? And How It Works
What Is A Mouth Swab Drug Test?
A mouth swab drug test (a.k.a a saliva test) is a conventional technique used to identify residues of drugs that people consume orally. In other words, if you smoke, vape, eat or drink anything containing illegal substances, you might want to avoid taking the test.
Other drugs that require injection or consumption via different methods are harder to detect. However, some substances can still enter your salivary gland. Yet, the concentrations of drug metabolites originating from your blood permeating into your salivary gland tend to be low enough to go unnoticed by the mouth swab test.
Get to know how a mouth swab drug test session goes:
Mouth Swab Tests’ Pros And Cons
Everything comes with pros and cons, and Amazon mouth swab tests are no exception. Below is our detailed table regarding the advantages and disadvantages of this method.
Pros:
- Saliva tests are about 60% more precise in detecting methamphetamine, opiates, and cocaine than urine tests. Moreover, this method produces fewer false positives too. Its reliability and accuracy are also the two major factors making many companies favor this technique. As a result, it is one of the most popular means of testing staff and children for drug abuse, use, and misuse.
- Mouth swab testing is non-invasive. The sampling process is simple, and there are no privacy concerns or embarrassment.
- This simple-to-conduct test does not require specialized personnel such as a room or lab technicians or skilled nurses (if you use the kit).
- The process is super fast as the results are usually ready after 5-10 minutes when using a testing kit.
- Sample manipulation, alteration, or tampering, which usually happens during a urine test, rarely occurs.
- Mouth swab test kits are sold everywhere
- These drug tests are very mobile and easy to manage.
- It can identify a wide range of drugs all at once.
- A mouth swab test itself is more expensive than a urine tester, but it saves time and does not call for a separate room or skilled personnel, and in some situations, it can be more affordable.
Cons:
- The saliva drug tests can only identify drugs that people consume shortly (usually within 1 to 3 days for various drugs) before the test. Otherwise, if people take the test later than this period, the only way the result is positive is when they have a large amount of drug intake.
- There is no specific standard for interpreting results as different kit vendors follow different measurements.
- Despite many detected drug metabolites, the saliva drug test is less accurate than a urine test regarding detecting THC (cannabinoids).
Are There Any Differences Between A Mouth Swab Drug Test And A Saliva Test?
Some people get confused between a mouth swab test and a saliva drug test. This confusion initially comes from the different technique of some mouth swab HIV-1 tests, in which doctors collect oral cells to assay and test for the disease.
Yet, the test above is not a saliva test that we see in drug testing sessions. The mouth swab during the HIV-1 tests uses oral cells, while our test prognosis depends on collected saliva. Therefore, we could conclude that a mouth swab drug test is a saliva drug test.
What Drug Does Amazon Test For?
Many applicants wonder if Amazon drug tests detect marijuana consumption, and our straightforward answer is yes. The company primarily tests signs of common illegal substances like opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana.
In some cases, they may even call for the 5-or -12-panel test, which searches for an extensive collection of additive substances like PCP, propoxyphene, and ecstasy.
List of drugs that a saliva drug test can detect. – Source: The Balance Career
What If My Result Is Positive?
For applicants, if your result is positive, especially with the common ones mentioned above, higher chances are that Amazon will lay you off immediately.
However, this result won’t affect your job application for other companies. Indeed, Amazon will not record your test result as you do not receive their official job offer.
In other words, they won’t disclose your results to any third party. As a result, you can still apply for other companies and have time to get clean if you still want to work for Amazon. Yet, you can only reapply to Amazon after 120 days.
Failing a drug test can draw you in tons of troubles. – Source: ARCpoint Labs
For Amazon employees, having a positive result is likely to be one way out of work. As the company strictly abides by the Federal laws, they have the full right to terminate your contract and give you the sack.
Moreover, in countries that allow the use of medical marijuana (like Canada) and you have a marijuana medical card, you might skip the test. However, your card must include a confirmation from a certified doctor. Also, you must present the card perpetually as long as it’s valid. Without the card’s presence, every Amazon staff member, including the security staff, has to take the test.
How Long Does It Take To Know Your Results?
Test results are usually ready in 72 hours, but it could take up to 2 weeks to receive the result in a few specific cases. How fast they release results dramatically depends on the laboratory in which you take the test.
Some clinics are more efficient than others and will deliver your result to the company in no time. Therefore, most of the results will be ready shortly after the test takes place. Typically, Amazon will get back to you after 3 to 5 days of work. However, if it doesn’t, it may take a while.
The outbreak of Covid-19 hasn’t affected Amazon’s policy on drug testing at all. Thus, if you want to work for the company, you still have to take the drug test.
Other Methods Amazon Uses To Drug Test Employees.
As mentioned above, if you apply for a position that requires the use of electrical equipment such as a forklift or other heavy machinery, the company will request a urine test.
Amazon may call for urine drug tests in several cases. – Source: Healthline
This test assures that you would work carefully to avoid injuries during the operation. But that’s not the end of the day, as Amazon is famous for its random drug tests during employment.
If there is an onsite accident, Amazon reserves the right to ask questions and perform a urine or saliva drug test. This information is crucial to prepare an honest report of the accidents and protect everyone’s rights.
What Is An Inconclusive Test?
The medical team can conclude that your drug test results are inconclusive if your saliva sample is not as concentrated as regular ones. As a result, an inconclusive result raises suspicion of altering and tampering to hide your drug use.
Although this evidence isn’t enough to fail you, it’s enough to provoke suspicion. Therefore, you need to come up with a reasonable explanation of your diluted saliva. However, no matter what the reason is, being inconclusive means that your mouth swab test has failed, and you need to start over.
Amazon’s Drug Testing Tips And Tricks
Most people don’t know how to hack a drug test, as in most cases, they call for the test promptly. In other words, there is almost no way you can prepare beforehand. However, there are proven methods for getting rid of drug metabolites from your saliva gland.
Before The Test
- If you’re on drugs, stop consuming them immediately (and maybe for good) when you receive notifications regarding your upcoming drug test.
- Brush your teeth thoroughly three times a day and pay attention to your gums, cheeks, and tongue, as these places are the most common areas where people collect test samples.
- Stop smoking two days before the drug test as nicotine could give out a false positive.
- Cross out poppy seeds from your diet as this ingredient generates opium. As a consequence, eating them tends to result in a false positive.
- Consume a lot of high-fat foods, especially one hour before the saliva drug test. This hack tends to fasten the drug absorption process. Therefore, the test would be less effective in detecting drug metabolites inside your mouth.
- Hide your drug metabolites in your mouth using a few lozenges or chewing gums.
- Drink a lot of water or eat ice to keep your mouth clean and rinsed. This method also helps to dilute your saliva and remove a lot of drug metabolites.
- Consume high-pH food and drinks. For instance, lemon juice or any kind of vinegar excels at pre-cleansing your oral environment as these acidic ingredients alter the pH or the acidity in your mouth.
- Use detox mouthwashes. These products work wonders in neutralizing drug residues in saliva, but they call for careful timing. In detail, they usually take effect 1-10 minutes after use and last 60 minutes. The most active period is the first 30 minutes, regardless of how long and how much drug you consume. Therefore, if you want to go for this hack, make sure to plan things carefully to pass the saliva test.
During The Test
- Don’t follow the procedure from the medical team if you did use drugs recently. We bet you don’t want to assist them in failing you.
- If the personnel allows you to hold the swab, do not rub the swab between your teeth and gum tissue.
- If you are currently taking medication, tell the doctor or the medical staff beforehand, as some medications may affect your test results. Painkillers such as naproxen can be false positives.
Although the tricks above may help you get a negative test result, the best way to pass the saliva drug test is not to consume drugs at all. Indeed, stopping using illegal substances is not only the most effective method to get positive results but also protects your health.
Conclusion
Afterall, there are plenty of answers to the question “Why do you want to work at Amazon?” Whether it’s because of the 6-figure salary or their wonderful working benefits, don’t let a small drug test get in your way!
We hope that today’s guide on the topic “Does Amazon drug test?” has given you enough insights regarding Amazon hiring policies and tricks to pass the drug test effortlessly. Get yourself together and good luck!
