No - according to my research on various forums, the Testclear website, and reviews from company employees - Chipotle does not drug test its employees. contractually, they reserve the right to drug test employees though...
It’s hard to discover when they would test for drugs, but my feeling is that it is against the ethos of the company to do so without some suspicion. I agree that it is possible some management may use it as a way to get rid of an employee who is not making the grade - but it would never be company policy to test everyone - it simply wouldn't be cost effective.
Is it even legal to drug test employees?
If you’re wondering what the law says about drug testing in the workplace - according to the United States Department of Labor - “The majority of employers across the United States are NOT required to drug test and many state and local governments have statutes that limit or prohibit workplace testing, unless required by state or Federal regulations for certain jobs”
So it's not a requirement but if you are a private employer you do have the right to test for a variety of substances.
When federal drug agencies conduct drug testing they must follow certain procedures established by the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - they’ve also identified 5 substances which they test for - amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates and phencyclidine (PCP).
Private companies do not have to follow these guidelines but mostly they do, as then they know they are on safe ground legally.
The law says that private non-unionized companies can ask applicants/employees take a drug test. If a workforce is unionized then the right to drug test has to be negotiated. In either case employers must comply with the law and their drug testing programs should be able to withstand a legal challenge.
I don't know about Chipotle, but more and more business are implementing drug-free workplace policies. Some because they have to to comply with regulations, or insurance, others for safety reasons. Others want to deter user or abusers from applying or working for them. The negative affect of drug abuse costs companies a lot of money.
Chipotle pride themselves on being an ethical company and in the main their staff like working there. They’ve commented that it’s good to be part of a team, get free food, and maybe have chance to be promoted.
It sounds like hard work though, the pay is not brilliant and the hours are tough - but a job is a job. If you decide to apply you can have a look at these Chipotle interviews - they give you a really good idea of what to expect. Good luck!
