You may be planning to work at UPS, or you already passed the initial interview stage. The interviewer may have said that you need to undergo drug testing before getting the full-time employees that you may have wanted to get. If so, then here’s a helpful guide that can help you know what to expect.
The following are answers and questions that many people from all over the US are also asking. The UPS policy for drug testing is perfectly legal. Some jobs may require a background check but no testing. The ones that pack and sort the packages may not be required, but the drivers should pass the test. This is to prevent delivery accidents and other injuries where the company can be held liable.
Do you need to pass during the pre-employment phase?
Yes. You need to make sure that your results are negative in a 5-panel assessment that is generally conducted by a third-party laboratory.
Does the company conduct random drug testing for its employees?
There’s no confirmed piece of information that UPS does random testing to its employees. People from forums and community discussions mentioned that half of its workforce might be favorable from weed or cocaine if the company does. Still, there’s not enough evidence in these statements. However, the drivers must pass random assessments that may come their way from time to time.
What are the most common drugs being checked?
As with many other big corporations, UPS tries to determine if an individual has used opiates, PCP, THC, amphetamines, and cocaine on occasion. If you are still in the pre-employment stage, you must have negative results for these substances to prevent trouble. You can check this article here to know more about this.
How long does the process take?
The results can be quick, especially if you are submitting a urine sample. You can receive a written result in less than a week. Some of the employers may decide to conduct a rapid assessment that can provide the information that they are looking for within a day.
The negative results can be received in 24 hours. But when an employee turns positive in the first screening, there might be further assessments needed to verify the results’ correctness. The second step can take about a week to complete.
How to know if you passed?
The laboratory that conducted the assessment will send the employer a certified copy of the results. This can come through e-mails, couriers, or faxes. The human resource department, which usually handles this sensitive piece of information, might not inform those who failed. This is why you might always want to do a follow-up if you pass the screening process.
What are the consequences of failing?
In some cases, the management of UPS will not offer employment to those who failed. If there’s random drug testing, then those who have positive results with amphetamines and other substances can be fired immediately.
Other Things to Expect
UPS is a large corporation that has stringent rules when it comes to hiring. They need a suitable candidate for the position that they need, and they consider the overall health of their employees.
The drug tests are conducted to many candidates, so you should prepare for it beforehand. You can’t dodge the drug test, especially if you are deemed fit in the position that you are applying for, and this is a necessary process. You can read about it here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236244/
The screening will ensure that the employees can work at their maximum capacity and free from using illegal substances. There are also background checks that are conducted, so you may also want to watch out for those.
The most common ways that UPS conduct assessments are swab and urine testing. They will check the samples from your urine and see if there are traces of THC in it and barbiturates, amphetamines, and opiates. This is a cheap and reliable method that other companies use too. After you pass this, then you are good to continue working for the company.
If you doubt your abilities to pass the test, then the good news is that companies can help you. You can get fake urine, detox drinks, and many other useful things that can help you prepare for the test. You also have to stop using drugs a month or a week before applying to UPS to increase your chances of passing your drug test.
