One of the biggest retail chains in the United States is Whole Foods, which is also an excellent place to apply for a job because they accept applications from various persons including felons.
This article provides all available information that you need to know if Whole Foods drug tests their employees.
In general, Whole Foods does not test prospective employees for drugs before hiring them, but they do drug test specific people who work in positions that need a high level of safety.
Whole Foods also test workers at random for various reasons, including performance, unusual conduct, attitude, and multiple accidents.
Article Road Map
Pre-Employment Whole Foods Drug Test
When it comes to drug testing as part of their pre-employment screening, Whole Foods does not have any rigid policies.
Although, this depends on the hiring manager, the store’s location, and the position for which the applicant is hired.
Before hiring people in Whole Foods, certain locations, including Mountain View and California, require a pre-employment drug test.
To administer a drug test to you if the screening is pre-employment, Whole Foods needs your written permission.
This enables them to examine your system for signs of unlawful drug use.
If you work for Whole Foods, you would have already granted your permission to be subjected to random drug testing at any time.
Additionally, Whole Foods maintains the right to file a lawsuit if you test positive, so you could be immediately fired if you refuse to take the drug test.
What Drugs Do They Test For At Whole Foods?
Whole Foods has strict policies against using illicit drugs. They usually do a urine test for the following five widely used drugs:
- Opiates metabolites
- Amphetamines
- PCP
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
What Kind Of Drug Tests Does Whole Foods Conduct?
There are two main categories of drug testing that Whole Foods conducts, both of which are based on a urine sample.
A urine drug test and a urine drug screening are the drug tests conducted at Whole Foods.
If you fail a drug test, your employment with Whole Foods may be terminated immediately, regardless of whether you have applied for or are currently employed there.
You should note that Whole Foods won’t test you for drugs unless you’ve given them a reason to suspect you.
Other posts you might like:
How Long Do Drugs Stay In The System?
Because the results of a urine test are so swift, most companies including Whole Foods use this type of test.
Alcohol does not remain in your system for more than 12 hours if you regularly consume it, so you shouldn’t be concerned even if you had a few beers the night before.
If a surprise test is administered while you are using drugs and within a few days of intake, you risk getting into a difficult situation.
Because drugs like opiates, cocaine, codeine, and heroin tend to linger in your system longer, and can all persist in your bloodstream for up to seven days leaving you with various negative effects.
Statistically, records have shown that it can take up to 30 days for marijuana to leave your system.
Ensure you keep your employer informed of any prescription medications you are taking before the drug test if you want to prevent any issues.
Although marijuana is legal in several states in the US, Whole Foods does not support using it while at work.
Because marijuana tends to impact your performance at work, which could lead to your dismissal, therefore you need to stay sober.
What Happens If You Fail A Drug Test At Whole Foods?
Whole Foods has a stringent policy against drug use, and if you test positive, you could face various consequences, such as:
- Termination
The level of strictness concerning drug tests at Whole Foods varies depending on the supervisor in charge at the moment.
The majority of the time, you will be terminated, but if the manager sees you as a valuable addition to Whole Foods, they may give you a warning instead.
However, this implies that you will always be the center of attention and another unexpected random drug test is likely. You’ll be fired right away if you test positive once more.
Although it rarely happens, if the worker has been with the company for a while, Whole Foods may press for their admission to rehab.
Additionally, they might provide you the possibility to resume your services after you straighten up.
- Reject Your Application
If you failed the drug test that was required as part of the pre-employment screening, Whole Foods will take this very seriously.
Even though they might give current workers another chance, they are less forgiving toward applicants because they don’t feel an emotional connection.
It is unlikely that you will be hired by Whole Foods if you don’t pass their pre-employment drug test screening process.
Conclusion
Although marijuana is legal in some jurisdictions, Whole Foods still screen for illegal narcotics from applicants.
Whole Foods does not approve of its use for recreational purposes, although some people require it for medical conditions including glaucoma and even cancer therapy.
You can attempt to defend your drug use to your employer if you have a good cause because Whole Foods has a policy of taking care of its staff.
They won’t object if you can show that you need it and can use it. You can even challenge the test by asking for another one if you believe your test was a false positive and you are not using drugs.
If you were drinking when you tested positive, you can express regret and persuade the management that this won’t happen again.
Based on your past and your value to the company, some employers like Whole Foods may give you another chance.
However, some jobs, like drivers at Whole Foods, require constant cleanliness to maintain insurance coverage.
Whole Foods does not take chances with them, if they test positive, their employment will be terminated immediately.
Although this may come across as harsh, it is for the employees’ benefit as well as that of those around them.
You shouldn’t let a drug test stop you from applying to Whole Foods, remember you can refer to this article for information related to drug tests conducted at Whole Foods.