Do Temp Agencies Drug Test?

Yes, temp agencies do drug test their candidates. That doesn’t mean that every job you apply for will require drug testing. In fact, it’s not that common to have a drug test unless you are in a particular industry.

Certain fields of work require workers to take a drug test. Other industries do not really care if the person is pre-screened for drug use.

However, it’s important to know your rights when it comes to drug testing and temp agencies. Sometimes there is a lot of mystery surrounding the types of drug testing that you will be assigned, as well as at what point in the interview process you will be asked to take a drug test.

What I want to do here is outline some of the different issues surrounding drug testing including what is expected of you when you’re asked to take a drug test.

This way, you can feel comfortable when you go into a temp agency and not feel nervous about a possible drug test.

Can You Refuse a Drug Test for a Temp Job?

Yes, you never have to take a drug test. It’s illegal to demand that someone take a drug test. However, be advised that if you decide to turn down taking a drug test then the agency can rescind the offer to work. That is within their rights.

It’s oftentimes a requirement for people to take a drug test for an offer of employment. In many instances, if the person fails a drug test then they cannot be hired.

However, if you are someone who knows that you’ll fail a drug test, then you can always opt of taking the drug test. Just know that it’s likely going to result in you not being offered a role with the company.

Also, in some cases if someone refuses to take a drug test once a conditional offer of employment has been made, then it’s going to be a red flag and many future recruiters and temp agencies might stay away from using you for future projects.

What Kinds of Jobs Require Drug Testing?

All sorts of jobs require drug testing, but there are some where it’s more common than others. Most staffing agencies will drug test if they are staffing for hospitals, govenrment contracts, or labor market roles.

For instance, anyone who works in the medical field is going to be asked to take a drug test. Even nurses, who make so much money, are drug tested and have criminal background checks.

Hospital workers are all drug tested in order to comply with legal requirements. This is also true of people who work with children—so teachers and other school workers will have to be drug tested.

Finally, some drivers and manual labor roles will have drug testing as a requirement.

If you are someone who is working in a corporate setting, then you are not likely going to have to take a drug test. This is because the more professional a role, the less concern there is.

It’s similar to why certain roles (teachers and social workers) have to have background checks run on them to confirm that they aren’t criminals.

There are instances of teachers and teachers aids being investigated for criminal drug activity. This is a problem because they are in close proximity to childern. As such, these roles require drug testing.

How Can You Tell If A Temp Agency Will Drug Test?

You really can’t tell if a temp agency will ask to drug test you. It’s something that will only come up if you are applying for a particular sort of role.

Many temp staffing agencies do not drug test because they work on executive support or IT roles only.

The best way to tell if a temp staffing agency will drug test you is to look at the type of roles you’re interested in applying for. If you are a medical person, or a teacher in a grade school or high school, then you’ll be drug tested and have a criminal background check ran on you.

Also, most companies drug test and run background checks on any sort of facilities, maintenance, or labor roles. Even though many non-profit organizations that help violent offenders find work after incarceration in these fields, it’s still common for companies to run extensive criminal checks and drug tests. It’s the same reason why you can’t get a job without an ID, there are legal requirments that need to be kept in accordance with the law.

Professional roles in corporate America don’t often require drug tests. These are roles where the people being hired are not commonly found to be drug users, criminals, or those with fake resumes and fake references. Most jobs require references, but professional roles in corporate world places more stress upon references.

In corporate America, the hiring process is much different than in the government sector or the non-profit world. For corporate roles, including temporary roles such as executive assistants or marketing assistant, the more important process is a strong resume and good references.

Will You Have To Take a Drug Test Before A Job Offer Is Made?

No, you should not have to take a drug test before the job offer is made. In most cases that is not a legal requirement. The only time you will have to take a drug test is once the role is offered to you.

In the case where you have a contingent job offer, that is pending a successful drug test or background check, then you will be asked to complete a drug test.

It’s not legal to require people to take drug tests before they are presented with a job offer. The only time you should have to take a drug test is after the interview and once you have a pending job offer.

This is also the time when you might have to submit to a background check. There are many legal restrictions placed upon companies when they are hiring people. In many states it’s illegal to not hire someone because they have committed crimes and served time in jail. The law regarding drug use is a bit more vague and varies depending on the state and also the job that the person will be taking.

If you are working in a hospital, for instance, many of the roles allow for formerly incarcerated people to work. Hospitals are in fact one of the major employers of formerly incarcerated persons. Likewise, most non-profits will not turn away former convicted people, in fact many case managers are persons who have served time in correctional facilities.

Current drug use is a different story. It’s not acceptable under most scenarios to employ a person who has tested positive for drug use.