OT~ Drug testing for a job

[daughtersrus]

I just need to vent. My DD (17) applied for a job at Office Max. She had a interview yesterday (Sunday) and was told that she was hired pending a drug test.

They gave her some paperwork and told her that it has to be done in 48 hours. They only use one lab and it's about 10miles from the store. The paperwork has the hours listed on it (8:30-12:00 and 1:00-5:00).

DD doesn't have her license, I have a daycare in our home and DH is out of town. So, I asked my SIL if she would take her. Fine, SIL comes over after school (she's a teacher) and takes my DD. I get a call from my DD at 4:40 crying because they wouldn't do the test. It seems that they have a cut off of 4:30 for drug screening but fail to list that on the paperwork.

I called Office Max to explain the situation and to see if we could possibly go to the hospital or a different lab. No. They suggested that I take her out of class (like I'm going to have her skip her Calculus class for this) or that I should close my daycare early. I explained that wasn't possible. The manager told me that if she doesn't go tomorrow, they will assume that she's trying to hide something and they will no longer offer her the job.

Needless to say, she won't be working at that store! We live in an area that has just about every retail store and restaurant. I don't think that she will have any problem finding a job.

She worked her butt off this summer as a life guard at our park district and camp counselor for a special education day camp and is currently teaching several classes for them but was looking to make some extra money until summer rolls around again.

Do most retail jobs require drug testing now? It just seems odd that she didn't need to be tested to get her life guard certification or to work at the camp but she needs one to work retail.

I know that this doesn't have much to do with the budget board except that I would be loosing money by closing my daycare tomorrow but it sure feels better to vent!

Thanks!

 

[Hedy]

I wonder if it's a sneaky way to avoid hiring high schoolers? I know Kohl's (at least our local one) does, but that's the only one I've heard of.
But really, I think she's better off not working there.

 

[mrsklamc]

I know that Lowe's requires a drug test, but I agree she will be better off somewhere else.
Plus, Lowe's transitioned or is transitioning to a cheek swab they do right there in the store and mail to a lab, which makes a lot more sense.

 

[JerseyGirl84]

I think that is terrible too. I started working at a new Kohl's last year, and as the above poster said, we had to take a drug test. I know that we were not limited to 48 hours though.

Can your SIL get her there 15 minutes earlier? The only problem is that she will be working for the manager that was unwilling to compromise. Maybe she is better off at another store!

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

Target also requires a drug test.

I think it's totally ridiculous that there are only certain hours and one place you can get the drug test at. People have lives.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

It seems like a rather complicated way to avoid hiring High Schoolers. Most likely they would simply, not hire them.

I agree - move on to the next store.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I had to get a drug test to work at the Shoe Department. They test you when you're hired and then never again after that I remember having to go to a place about a mile from the mall but can't recall if it was within 48 hours or not.

I have a professional job now but they also require drug testing. Upon first being hired, and then randomly after that. We have an on site nurse though, so we don't have to go anywhere to get it done.

I think it's ridiculous that they are being so strict about it though. If the paperwork said until 5, then why are they being so harsh? I'd have her get a job elsewhere like you said, but I'd also complain to corporate about this one. It's entirely unfair.

 

[Lisa_M]

When I worked at Walmart, I had to have a drug test. I'm pee shy so it took me a while to go while the lady was standing right outside the door. The funny thing is that a good portion of the people I worked with appeared to be high on something or other. I guess they only had to pass the initial drug test.

 

[Disneylush]

I am a youth minister and this is a VERY common thing for all kinds of jobs here no matter what your age. I am driving kids all the time for their tests because the hours suck, you have to go to one place and wait forever and sometimes you only get 24 hours.

 

[dpcheercoach]

I hope you don't mind me crashing this thread...but this one brought back a funny memory from my college days.

I had to take a drug test to work at wal-mart many moons ago and too was given two days to take it. They sent me with the paperwork to the nearest hospital's lab. Up until this point I hadn't taken many pee tests before so when I went in the nurse handed me a bottle type thing with a lid that screws off. I went in to do my business and for the life of me I couldn't hit the bottle. Needless to say I only got a few drops in it and the nurse told me it wasn't enough. At that point I didn't have to "go" anymore and told her I would have to come back later to try again.

The nurse then tells me that she had already used the paper work and could not re-do it for another test so she would call wal-mart and have me pick up a new set of papers to bring out the next time. Off I went and did as instructed, picked up the new papers and came back to try again later.
Same nurse this time and same situation happened. By this time I was in tears. So once again she called wal-mart to redo the paperwork for the next day and told me to come back. I just knew wal-mart was thinking what's up with this girl.

I told myself...third time's a charm. So when I went back the next day and had a different nurse. She then handed me a cup with a lid and I commented how much easier it would be to make it into that cup than the other thing I had tried twice before. Then nurse about got down on all fours laughing. Evidentally the other nurse had given me a males bottle to "go" in instead of a womans. I didn't even know they made two different bottles for this.
I was successful this time and luckily did get the job, but what an ordeal.

 

[rflorek]

Many jobs now require drug testing. I applied at a large insurance company (10,000+ employees), and a drug test was required within 48 hours (they wanted to make sure that you weren't hiding anything by having extra time to clean out your system). They also only had one lab to go to, and only a set number of hours each day that you could do the testing.

From what I understand from my nieces & nephews, drug tests are VERY common at our local retail stores, and there is a 48-72 hour cut-off to have them done.

 

[Pumbaa_]

drug tests are common place nowadays for most jobs. The time limit is short on purpose to get teh test (so you don't have time to let things 'filter' out of your system)

And for employment drug tests, there is typically one lab with normal business hours since it is more of a business transaction than a medical test.

Makes it hard though, doesn't it?

 

[m&m's mom]

I am going to post something that I am surprised no one has mentioned.
I am sure they think if she can get to the job, she can get to the drug testing- especially since she is 17. In other words, if she can't get to the screening place how can she get to work. I do not think the request is out of line at all. If you had been in a different circumstance you probably would not have either.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

A random thought here. You need a drug test to work for pretty much any retailer but I have NEVER had a drug test for a teaching job.......

 

[kandeebunny]

I have worked a LOT of retail jobs, and been drug tested for every one and sometimes transferring stores within the same company. You always have a max of 48 hours to do it so you cannot cleanse your system.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I am going to post something that I am surprised no one has mentioned.
I am sure they think if she can get to the job, she can get to the drug testing- especially since she is 17. In other words, if she can't get to the screening place how can she get to work. I do not think the request is out of line at all. If you had been in a different circumstance you probably would not have either.

I agree...I think the policy is typical, and you really can't blame them for not bending the rules. In addition, the employee should have called herself if there was a problem- having mom call is a huge no-no.

It does suck that it was bad timing for OP's family, and that the lab wouldn't just give her the test at 4:40 though.

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

When my husband changed jobs he had to submit a drug test. Any of the test places had evening hours. I can't believe they would expect someone to be available for such specific times - notice they weren't open for the lunch hour either?

 

[Irin997]

I had to take a drug test for most of my jobs, but my most recent job I was hired through an employment agency, so I'd already been working there when they offered me full time employment. Anyway, the day I planned to go take my test and my physical, my daughter ended up being sick the day before. Her school has a 24 fever free policy so she was home with me the day I was planning to take the physical. Anyway, I figured I'd take her with me and they informed me that no children could be allowed in the office. What, was I gonna have her pee for me? Like a 6 year old can pee in a cup.

 

[figment52]

Around here no one under 18 can get a drug test for employment with parental consent. You might want to find out befoe she goes again.

 

[richs52]

Have her get a job in a restaurant. I've worked in MANY and have never had to take a drug test (unless it was a management position).