Costco Wholesale is known for being a great place to work, with competitive pay, excellent benefits, and opportunities for advancement. But one condition of employment that catches some applicants by surprise is the requirement to pass a pre-employment drug screening.
The retail giant is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol-free workplace in order to ensure the safety of both employees and customers. Costco not only tests all job candidates but also reserves the right to test current employees at any time, especially in the case of an on-the-job accident or reasonable suspicion of impairment.
So what exactly does Costco‘s drug testing entail and what are your chances of being screened? Here‘s a comprehensive look at the company‘s current policies and procedures.
How Common Is Workplace Drug Testing?
Costco is hardly alone in requiring job applicants to pass a drug test. A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 57% of employers conduct drug tests on all job candidates. An additional 29% test only for certain positions, primarily those involving driving, operating machinery, or interacting with vulnerable populations.
Rates of drug testing vary significantly by industry, with jobs in transportation, manufacturing, construction, and healthcare among the most likely to require screening. The retail industry falls somewhere in the middle, with about 50% of employers conducting pre-employment testing.
In addition to pre-hire testing, many employers also conduct random drug screenings on current employees. The same SHRM survey found that 39% of companies randomly test at least some portion of their workforce each year. Again, safety-sensitive industries like transportation have the highest rates, with the retail sector averaging around 30%.
Post-accident testing is another common practice, required by 82% of employers. If a worker is involved in an on-the-job incident resulting in injury or significant property damage, they will almost always be required to take a drug test. Reasonable suspicion testing, triggered by documented signs of impairment or changed behavior, is also permitted by most companies.
So while Costco‘s drug-free workplace policy may feel stringent to some applicants, it‘s actually in line with standard practices for many large retailers. Walmart, Kroger, Home Depot, and Target all have similar rules in place.
Why Does Costco Drug Test?
Like any business, Costco has to balance a variety of risks and liabilities. The company has determined that pre-employment drug testing and the possibility of screening current employees is an important safety precaution.
Many Costco jobs involve physical labor, operation of heavy machinery like forklifts, and driving delivery trucks. Impairment from drugs or alcohol could have disastrous consequences in those roles. Even front-end cashiers and stockers interact closely with the public in a fast-paced environment, so the company wants to ensure all workers are mentally sharp and capable.
Costco‘s drug-free workplace policy officially states that the company prohibits "the illegal use, sale, possession, distribution, or manufacture of controlled substances, including marijuana, or being under the influence of illegal drugs, marijuana, or alcohol during working hours."
The inclusion of marijuana is notable, as a growing number of states have legalized the drug for recreational or medicinal use in recent years. However, pot remains illegal at the federal level, so employers like Costco are within their rights to test for and prohibit its use, even off the clock.
Costco‘s Drug Testing Methods
During the hiring process, Costco typically administers an oral fluid drug test, more commonly known as a mouth swab test. With this method, a special collection wand is rubbed along the inside of the cheek to gather saliva and cell samples, which are then screened for traces of drugs.
Compared to other testing methods like urinalysis, a mouth swab is the least invasive and has the shortest detection window. Most substances can only be detected in oral fluids for 24-48 hours after last use, though heavy consumption may extend that window for a couple extra days.
This is much shorter than the 1-2 weeks that urine tests can detect most drugs. That‘s because substances are filtered out of saliva and oral fluid much faster than they are excreted from the body entirely. The tradeoff is that mouth swab tests are slightly less accurate than lab-based urine tests and can sometimes miss very recent drug use that hasn‘t had time to build up in saliva.
Another advantage of oral fluid testing for employers is the quick turnaround time. While urine samples have to be securely collected and sent to an outside laboratory for screening, mouth swab tests can be easily administered on-site and provide results in minutes.
All of these factors make oral fluid testing an appealing choice for pre-employment screening. Applicants can abstain from drug use for a few days before their interview and be confident they will pass. And companies like Costco can quickly move candidates through the hiring process without the cost and logistics of sending everyone to a testing facility.
It‘s also nearly impossible for applicants to cheat a supervised oral fluid test. Whereas urine samples can potentially be swapped or adulterated, the collection process for mouth swabs is directly observed every step of the way. Some people still try to beat the system with detox mouthwash or chewing ice, but it‘s very difficult to successfully mask all traces of drugs.
Costco Drug Test Procedure
So what should applicants expect when they show up for a Costco drug test? The process is usually very quick and straightforward.
At the end of your interview, a manager will notify you that a drug screening is the next step. Most of the time, you‘ll be directed to take the mouth swab test right then and there under the supervision of your interviewer or another company representative.
Before collecting the sample, you‘ll likely be asked to sign a form consenting to the drug test and acknowledging that a negative result is a condition of being hired. You may have to wait 10-15 minutes after eating, drinking, smoking, or chewing gum to avoid contaminating the sample.
To administer the test, you‘ll be handed a sealed oral fluid collection kit containing a sponge- or brush-like wand. After verifying that the package is intact, you‘ll open it and place the collection pad between your lower cheek and gums for about 2-5 minutes until it is saturated with saliva.
The wand is then resealed in a part of the kit containing a window that will display lines to indicate a positive or negative result for each substance, similar to a pregnancy test. If the initial screening is non-negative, a second portion of the sample will be sent to a certified laboratory for confirmatory testing.
This whole process typically wraps up in about 15 minutes. Negative results are considered definitive, so you‘ll be cleared to move forward with the rest of the hiring process. If non-negative results are confirmed positive by the lab, Costco will contact you and your job offer will be rescinded.
What Happens If You Fail a Costco Drug Test?
Applicants who test positive for any of the substances on Costco‘s 5-panel drug test – which typically includes THC, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, and PCP – will have their conditional job offer revoked and be disqualified from hiring.
Costco‘s policy is to send a pre-adverse action notice to any candidate who fails a drug test, which explains the findings and gives them a chance to provide documentation if they believe the result is a false positive caused by a prescription or over-the-counter medication. If the final result is confirmed positive, a formal rejection letter will be issued.
Most Costco locations also enforce a waiting period before failed applicants can re-apply, usually at least 6-12 months. In some cases, candidates may have to show proof of completing a drug counseling or rehabilitation program before being eligible for reconsideration.
It‘s important to note that in most states, testing positive for marijuana will still disqualify you from employment even if you have a valid medical prescription or live in an area where recreational use is legal. Until pot is legalized at the federal level, Costco and most other national employers will continue to treat it the same as any other controlled substance.
If you‘re applying for a safety-sensitive role that requires you to hold a commercial driver‘s license, such as a truck driver or forklift operator, failing a pre-employment drug test will also be reported to the Department of Transportation. You‘ll be recorded in a federal database that tracks violations of drug and alcohol testing rules and will be prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions until completing the return-to-duty process with a DOT-qualified substance abuse professional.
Random and Reasonable Suspicion Testing
In addition to pre-employment screening, current Costco employees are subject to ongoing random and reasonable suspicion drug testing. Selections for random tests are typically computer-generated by an outside administrator to ensure the process is truly arbitrary and non-discriminatory.
While employees in certain high-risk positions may be included in the random testing pool more frequently, it‘s Costco‘s policy that any worker could potentially be chosen at any time. Refusing a random test is grounds for termination under the company‘s drug-free workplace rules.
Reasonable suspicion testing, on the other hand, is prompted by documented evidence that an employee may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the job. This could include physical signs of impairment like slurred speech, erratic behavior, or excessive absenteeism.
Supervisors are trained to identify potential red flags and must provide a written report detailing their observations before sending a worker for reasonable suspicion testing. If the test comes back positive, the employee will be subject to discipline up to and including termination, depending on the severity of the situation and their previous track record.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, Costco‘s drug testing policy exists to protect the safety and well-being of everyone who works for or does business with the company. While some applicants may object to the invasiveness or strictness of the screening process, it‘s become a standard practice for most large retailers.
If you‘re considering applying for a job at Costco, it‘s important to understand the company‘s drug-free workplace rules and what you‘ll need to do to pass the pre-employment mouth swab test. If you currently use marijuana or any other controlled substances, it‘s best to abstain completely for at least a week before your interview to ensure your system is clean.
For current employees, random testing and the possibility of reasonable suspicion screening provide an extra incentive to follow Costco‘s substance abuse policy to the letter. Remember that you‘re always an ambassador for the company, whether you‘re on or off the clock, so it‘s important to make smart choices about drug and alcohol use.
By being transparent and proactive, applicants and employees can enjoy all the great pay, benefits, and perks that Costco has to offer without running afoul of the company‘s commitment to a drug-free workplace.
