As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on every aspect of our well-being, the U.S. is seeing unprecedented levels of sudden employment. In the last four weeks, 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment. With no set date for the re-opening of the U.S. economy, the unemployment rate is rapidly rising to almost 18%.
While some sectors have been disproportionately affected by shelter in place laws, some companies are struggling to meet surges in demand brought on by coronavirus panic shopping and by changes in how people shop due to the closing of businesses deemed unessential. Below are the 10 largest companies in our database that are currently hiring that we have drug testing information on.
1) Amazon
Amazon’s stock price alone says a lot about how well the Seattle-based Everything Store has been doing. On March 20th, Amazon’s stock price was $1,846. On April 17th, the stock closed at $2,375 representing a $529 increase in less than a month. As some of our must-haves become difficult to acquire due to the closing of unessential businesses and limited supply in essential retail businesses, what better way to shop than from the comfort of your own home? Not to mention the avoided risk of coronavirus exposure from brick and mortar retail stores. Amazon has announced it will be creating 75,000 new jobs and increasing pay by $2 per hour.
Does Amazon.com drug test? It depends. One Senior Product Manager at Amazon HQ reports not being drug tested. However, Returned Items, Warehouse, and other workers who did not list their title report receiving drug tests. Those who were drug tested received either a hair follicle test or a saliva test. Some received their drug test prior to their employment start date while others were randomly tested on the job.
If you are applying for a position outside of the Seattle HQ, expect to receive a drug test and take the necessary precautions.
2) Dollar General
With economic uncertainty and high rates of unemployment, Americans are relying on stores like Dollar General for cheap goods. Dollar General has announced that it’s aiming to hire 50,000 workers by end of April. Dollar General, which is based in Tennessee, has over 15,000 stores across the U.S. While some of the companies on our list may be seeing temporary surges in demand due to panic buying or disruptions related to shelter in place orders, Dollar General may continue to be in high demand once businesses open back up and Americans try and save money in the upcoming recession.
Does Dollar General drug test employees? Our data says no.
3) Domino’s Pizza
The increase in demand for pizza should not come as a surprise for those that do not know how to cook. As dining options become limited, many have turned to delivery or take-out. In response, Domino’s is hiring more delivery drivers, truck drivers, and pizza makers. They expect this to translate to 10,000 new hires to support their 16,000 stores across the country.
Does Domino’s drug test? Our data says no.
4) Kroger
Anyone who has been to a grocery store recently is aware of the challenges grocery stores are facing in terms of restocking, managing foot traffic, and keeping stores sanitized. As shoppers continue to panic buy, use their new found free time to cook, and eat at home instead of dining out, grocery stores continue to aggressively hire to meet demand. Last month, Kroger announced it had 10,000 positions to fill in its stores, warehouses, and plants.
Does Kroger drug test? Surprisingly yes! Our data shows Kroger provides either a saliva or urine test prior to job start date.
5) Walgreens
Almost all of the hard-to-find items in COVID-19 times, such as hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and face masks are items you would typically find at Walgreens. As shoppers search for these items and make other purchases during their trips, Walgreens has recognized a need for more workers. Walgreens has announced it’s looking to fill 9,500 full and part time roles across the U.S.
Does Walgreens drug test? Our data says yes, a urine drug test will be given prior to your employment start date. Not entirely surprising, given the presence of addictive prescription drugs with high street values on site.
6) Walmart
Like Amazon, Walmart is another retail giant seeing a surge in demand from COVID-19. Unlike Amazon, Walmart has a strong presence both online and as a physical store. Walmart remains the largest employer in the U.S., employing about 1.5 million and serving as the largest employer in 19 U.S. states. Walmart has announced it plans to hire 150,000 new workers across its stores, mostly temporary with the potential for full time employment.
Does Walmart drug test? Yes, yes, and yes. Across a range of positions, from cashier to assistant manager to order filler, all Walmart employees report that Walmart drug tests. Some report being drug tested before their employment start date while others report being randomly tested on the job. Users report receiving one or two of the following tests: urine, blood, and breath alcohol. If you have recently used drugs or plan to, Walmart may not be the place for you.
7) Home Depot
An unexpected consequence of COVID-19 has been an increase in demand for home repair items. It’s not clear whether this is due to Americans engaging in fun DIY projects as a way to pass time or if Americans are having to do their own repairs due to typical repair companies being deemed unessential businesses. Either way, Home Depot announced it would be hiring 80,000 employees this spring.
Does Home Depot drug test? Our data says yes. If you are hired at Home Depot, expect to receive a urine test prior to your employment start date.
8) Target
Keeping with the theme of retail, Target is one of many retail companies hiring. Not only does Target carry high-demand essential items like toilet paper, sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes, some Targets also offer grocery items. Additionally, while stores exclusively selling items like electronics and clothing have been deemed unessential, Target has remained open and continues to sell these items.
Does Target drug test? Like Amazon, it depends. Some users report receiving either a urine or saliva test prior to start. Others, including a worker in the Minneapolis HQ office report not being drug tested at all.
9) Fidelity
A very different type of company than most of the ones on our list, Fidelity has announced it’s hiring 2,000 employees to provide a much-needed boost to its customer service. As Americans try and figure out how to deal with economic uncertainty, Fidelity sees a clear need for additional financial guidance. Positions they are hiring for include financial consultants, licensed representatives, and customer service representatives.
Does Fidelity drug test? Our data says no.
10) CRST International
Again, another business very different from most on our list. However, CRST International is very closely tied with many businesses on our list. Most people aren’t familiar with CRST, the freight company based in Cedar Rapids, Ohio. As groceries and other essential retailers rush to keep their shelves stocked, it’s all made possible by the drivers for companies such as CRST who deliver items to these essential businesses. CRST is in need of truck drivers with Class A CDL.
Does CRST drug test? Our data says yes. If you’re hired by CRST, you can expect a urine test prior to your job start. As we’ve covered in many other blog posts, certain jobs may be more serious about drug testing due to the particularly negative consequences of employers working under the influence. CRST is likely one of them.
The number of jobs the 10 companies we’ve highlighted have announced they are looking to fill amounts to almost 350,000 jobs total. While this number is high, the unemployment numbers tell us that competition will be fierce. If you’re currently job searching, make sure you’re clear on whether you’ll be drug tested.
Do you work for a company not on this list that is aggressively hiring, such as CVS, DoorDash, Instacart, FedEx, Safeway, Whole Foods, Publix, or Lowe’s? Help your fellow workers by anonymously sharing your employment drug testing experience here. Information on companies that do not drug test is just as valuable as information on companies that do drug test.