Many grocery stores and retailers in the US will require their new hires to take a drug test before they can begin onboarding. Stores such as Kroger, Aldi and others currently have drug testing as part of their hiring process.
If you’re considering working at Safeway, perhaps you’re wondering if you’ll have to submit to a drug test? If you’d like to find out, continue reading through this article to see what I learned!
Key Takeaways
Does Safeway Drug Test In 2022?
The majority of US Safeway stores require all new hires to take a drug test and is also required for employees who are being re-hired. Safeway will conduct the drug test on-site or in a local clinic, and if the potential new hire passes the test, they will be brought onto the Safeway staff.
If you’d like to learn more about which Safeway stores drug test, what types of drugs they test for, and more, continue readingQ
Does Every Safeway Drug Test?
According to a variety of Safeway employees, not every Safeway location in the US will drug test their staff for every position available.
This will vary per state according to local laws as well as the discretion of store managers.
However, every store is required to drug these their transportation employees and they may administer a hair drug test for drivers.
Locations in states where certain recreational drugs are legal may not be required to drug test their staff, or may only be required to drug test employees who hold certain positions, such as pharmacists or drivers.
Does Safeway Drug Test During Orientation?
Safeway will either conduct their drug tests during their interview process, or they will extend the interview process by having their potential new hire submit to a drug test at a clinic.
This will vary per store location, as while many Safeway stores are set up to conduct their drug tests on-site, others are not.
What Type of Drug Test Does Safeway Conduct?
Safeway will generally conduct the saliva drug test.
They take a cotton swab and extract the saliva from your mouth, test it, and then make their decision based on whether or not you passed the test.
There are some Safeway stores that require a urination test, but according to Safeway employees, this may only be done when an employee has been injured on the job.
Does Safeway Drug Test Their Drivers?
Because transportation is a safety-conscious job, Safeway drivers are not only required to take a drug test, but they are also required to submit to a physical exam and a driving test.
These requirements have been put into place according to the DOT guidelines, and every Safeway store in the US is expected to follow these guidelines when hiring drivers.
What Types Of Drugs Does Safeway Test For?
Safeway tests for most major drugs, including recreational drugs that are legal in the state the test is being conducted in. For a full list, you can see this reference.
Alcohol and cannabis are also tested, and the presence of these substances may still require the supervisor conducting the test to fail their potential new hire.
However, if very small traces of alcohol, steroids, and cannabis are left behind from much earlier use, they may not be counted.
Will Safeway Hire Me If I Fail My Drug Test?
If a potential new hire at Safeway fails their drug test, Safeway will usually have to reject their application.
However, they will usually let rejected applicants re-apply after 6 months, when they will give a drug test again.
Safeway may administer random drug tests to their employees at any given time. If an employee fails their drug test, they may lose their job.
However, that decision will be left up to the managers discretion, as well as the circumstances surrounding them failing the test.
If transport employees fail their drug test, however, they may not only lose their job, but they may also be stripped of their DOT insurance, as driving under the influence of drugs goes against the safety protocols attached to a transport position.
How Do I Pass A Drug Test At Safeway?
There are a number of things potential hires can do in preparation for their drug test.
Bear in mind that even if potential employees do not take drugs, prescription drugs may cause a cross-reaction that can create a false positive on a drug test.
Candidates for a job at Safeway can do the following in preparation for their test:
- Gargle with non-alcoholic mouthwash and scrub the inside of your cheeks with a toothbrush. According to a drug test website, charcoal activated toothpaste may also aid in offsetting the drug cleansing inside the mouth.
- Refrain from taking or smoking any recreational drugs until you’ve completed the interview and onboarding process.
The best way to test negative on a drug test is to refrain from using any type of substance until potential candidates have been hired.
However, these above suggestions should be considered for those who take prescription drugs, as there is a risk of them creating a false-positive result.
Does Safeway Drug Test In Canada?
Safeway employees in Canada do not have to submit to a drug test.
In Canada, drug testing violates the The Human Rights Code, meaning Safeway is not allowed to drug test their employees unless there is reasonable cause, such as suspicion of impairment.
Now that you know about the Safeway’s drug test for employees, may also check our related articles on whether or not Home Depot drug test, if Best Buy drug test, and also if Kohl’s drug test.
Conclusion
The majority of US Safeway locations will drug test their employees and new hires, and every US Safeway store is required to drug test their transport workers. Safeway will test for all major illegal drugs as well as legal recreational drugs and alcohol.
Safeway will usually administer a mouth swab drug test, although some locations will require a urine test. Safeway Canada does not drug test their employees, however, as random testing falls violates The Human Rights Code.