The American Express Company, more commonly known as Amex, is a very large and successful financial institution founded over 160 years ago in the state of New York. Amex presents a professional work environment and offers a multitude of excellent job opportunities with great job benefits. This is why I have decided to research and answer for you the very often asked question “does American Express drug test?”
Amex was ranked as the 14th most admired company in the world and the 23rd best company to work for in 2018 by Fortune magazine. The company has over 60,000 employees located in offices throughout the world. Amex is one of those companies where an individual can have a great career working within the same organization their entire life.
Disadvantage of Recreational Drug Users
Recreational drug users can be at a significant disadvantage to those who don’t use drugs when applying for or trying to keep a job at a company that drug tests. A person might be highly qualified for a position but may not get or keep it simply because she or he uses drugs recreationally.
Bluntly speaking, recreational drug users suffer from companies that drug test. Knowing in advance if a company drug tests or not can significantly help the recreational drug user by giving him or her time prepare for the test in advance if the company does test. Naturally, those who don’t use drugs don’t need to worry about this issue.
Job Opportunities at Amex
You’ll find a wide variety of attractive job opportunities at American Express. You can work in operations, risk and governance, sales, technology, accounting, HR, and many other departments. It all depends on your level of education and experience.
The more qualified you are, the easier it’ll be for you to land a great job there. Since Amex is such a great place to work, prospective employees don’t want to blow their chance of being hired there simply because they didn’t know they should have prepared in advance for a drug test.
American Express Drug Test Policy in 2023
American Express has a strict no drug policy. It makes emanate sense that one of the largest financial institutions in the world will not tolerate any drug use by its employees as this can lead to costly errors and generate plenty of customer complaints.
If you’re to be drug tested at American Express, expect to be tested for marijuana, amphetamines, ecstasy, barbiturates, and more commonly used drugs.
What to Expect During American Express Hiring Process
The American Express hiring process is rather lengthy, but that doesn’t mean it’s complicated. You start by filling out an application. You can apply to most jobs online using their website. Just search for American Express jobs or careers online and you should find it.
Within a few days you should receive a call inviting you to do a phone interview. If you do well on the phone interview, they’ll call you in for a follow-up face to face interview.
Some only had one face to face interview, while others had two interviews. If you successfully pass all your interviews, you’ll only then be asked to take and pass a drug test (see below) before you start your orientation and work.
Does American Express Drug Test New Employees?
As stated above, American Express requires all prospective employees to take and pass a drug test before hiring. You’ll only be asked to take the drug test if you pass all your interviews.
This is bad news for recreational drug users! However, now that you know and expect you need to pass a drug test, you will have time to prepare for it.
As one of the largest financial companies in the world, it’s understandable that they require all prospective employees to pass a drug test before hiring.
In order to pass the Amex drug test, you should abstain from drugs at least two months before your interview or scheduled test. You can also try detox drinks and products, but acknowledge the fact that only a few of them are effective. Your best bet is to abstain from drug use well in advance of the test to ensure you don’t miss out on a great job opportunity.
Does American Express Carry Out Random and Pre-Promotional Drug Test?
American Express reserves the right to drug test its employees at any time. But it rarely does so. There’s rarely a need to carry out a work related drug test as there are a few work accidents since the jobs aren’t truly physical, but rather mental. Most employees say they were only drug tested before hiring, but never since.
It’s not clear whether or not American Express drug tests people before promotion. It’s likely that they do since a promotion entails more responsibilities and lower tolerance for mistakes. If you’re up for a promotion, abstaining from drugs well beforehand is a safe bet.
What Kind of Drug Test Does American Express Use?
American Express uses a urine drug test. You probably won’t be asked to give your sample directly to the company. Rather, they usually send employees to an independent facility to carry out the drug test. At the facility, you’ll need to provide a urine sample in a container for analysis.
The lab will analyze your urine for the drugs mentioned earlier. Results will be sent back to American Express. If you fail, you won’t get the job you were applying for. If you pass, you’ll be able to start orientation shortly thereafter.
Can You Fail Your Drug Test for Using Prescription Drugs?
No, you can’t fail a drug test if you’re using prescription drugs. You just need to inform your interviewer or manager that you’re on prescription drugs that can show up positive on a drug screen. You can also give them your doctor’s contact info so they can confirm with him or her.
Why you’re on prescription drugs or what you’re taking is confidential information. Neither you nor your doctor is obliged to provide that information to American Express or any other employer.
How to Pass Drug Test at American Express?
If you are a light or moderate user, you should abstain from using marijuana for at least 10 days in advance in order to increase your odds of passing the urine drug test.
However, if you are heavy user (3-4 times a week or everyday), you have to avoid using marijuana from 45 up to 90 days before the test. Because of prolonged THC exposure, it takes a long time to properly detox your body.
If you don’t have enough time to cleanse your body from THC, on the drug test day you might consider drinking a detox drink like Mega Clean or Herbal Clean QCarbo32. Such detox drinks are most effective for the light and moderate users.
If you are a heavy user, such drinks won’t be enough to drop your THC levels below cutoff levels. However, completing at least a 10 day whole body detox program, combined with light aerobic exercise, visiting a sauna, drinking plenty of water and maintaining a healthy diet should significantly increase your chances of passing your urine test.
Summery
American Express is a great place to work. It’s also a corporation where people may spend their entire lives working for the firm as they go up the ladder. Unfortunately for recreational drug users, they drug test applicants before hiring. If you want a job there, you should abstain from drugs well in advance of your test in order to pass.
Thank you for reading our article “Does American Express Drug Test New Employees?”
We would love to hear about your experiences going through American Express hiring process and drug testing procedure.
We believe others who are applying for jobs at American Express will definitely appreciate and benefit from it.
Helpful links:
“How Long Does Weed (THC) Stay in Your Urine? – Important Data You Need to Know!!!”
“Fact or Fiction – You Can Beat a Drug Test with Home Remedies?”
Learn more here:
PMC, Chemistry, Metabolism, and Toxicology of Cannabis: Clinical Implications
American Journal of Clinical Pathology, The Effects of Adulterants and Selected Ingested Compounds on Drugs-of-Abuse Testing in Urine
Jpo.Wrlc.org, The marijuana detection window: Determining the length of time cannabinoids will remain detectable in urine following smoking
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/American-Express/faq/what-type-of-drug-test?quid=1c3glctln5n92a9n
