Random Drug Test
CBP has a compelling obligation to eliminate illegal drug use from its workplace in order to eliminate the range of risks to national security, public health, and public safety that could be posed by individuals who use illegal drugs. Therefore, it is the policy of CBP to prevent and eliminate illegal use, possession, distribution, or trafficking of controlled substances, among its employees. The CBP Drug Free Workplace Plan, and the drug testing it requires, conforms to the provisions of Executive Order 12564 - Drug-free Federal workplace and applies to all CBP federal civilian employees.
All applicants who have been tentatively selected for a testing designated position will be required to undergo drug testing for commonly abused controlled substances in accordance with this policy during the pre-employment process.
Substances Covered by Drug Testing
At a minimum your sample will be tested for:
- marijuana
- cocaine
- amphetamines
- opiates (including heroin and morphine)
- phencyclidine (PCP)
Please bring any documentation relating to prescription medications you are taking.
Testing Methods and Procedures
You cannot schedule the drug test in advance. Our scheduling contractor will reach out to you at a random time during the pre-employment process to schedule you for this appointment. The contact information you provide to the Hiring Center will be used by our contractor to reach out to you, so it's important that we have your most current information.
The drug test will be conducted at the nearest available CBP-contracted facility according to the mailing address the Hiring Center has on file for you. Please note that travel to and from the facility is at your own expense.
You will have 48 hours from the time you are contacted by the scheduling contractorto schedule your appointment. Failure to appear at the designated clinic within 48 hours will result in the withdrawal of your tentative selection.
Refusal to Undergo Testing
Applicants have the right to refuse the urinalysis test at any time. If you plan to refuse, you should do so before accepting the appointment for testing. You will lose consideration for the position you applied for if you refuse. Random testing is mandatory for employees in testing designated positions and refusal to take the test could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from CBP.
Positive Test
If your laboratory test is positive, the Agency Medical Review Officer (MRO) will contact you prior to making any final decision to determine if there are any circumstances involving legitimate contact with illegal drugs or authorized use of prescription drugs. Legitimate contact with illegal or illicit drugs, as verified by the MRO will be reported to CBP as a negative result.
Outside applicants who have a confirmed positive test (after review by the CBP MRO) will lose consideration for the position to which they applied and will be debarred from applying for another position in the Department of Homeland Security for one year. Confirmed positive drug tests for CBP employees will be reported to their supervisors and the employees will be referred to the Employee Assistance Program. In addition, they will lose consideration for the position and will be subject to adverse/disciplinary action up to and including removal from CBP.
Drug Testing Frequently Asked Questions
The length of time you will be expected to remain at the facility depends on the facility's schedule the day of your appointment, or if any issues arise during your appointment. Please plan accordingly.
Yes. You have been tentatively selected for a testing designated position and are subject to random drug testing throughout your employment with CBP. Employees selected for testing will be notified when and where to report on the day of the test. Employees who are not in a testing designated position, but who volunteer to be tested will be placed in the random testing pool and will have tests conducted in accordance with random procedures. Other kinds of testing, such as injury, illness, unsafe or unhealthy practice testing, reasonable suspicion, and follow-up testing may also apply.
Yes. At the collection site, you will be asked to provide personal information to the company representative including your name, identity number (e.g., SSN) address, date of birth, etc., in order to complete the chain-of-custody form that accompanies the specimen. (A notation of your prescriptions may be listed on the donor copy of the chain-of-custody form as a memory jogger in case you need to remember this information at a later date.)
You will have maximum privacy. Observation will be “Close” but usually not “Direct”. You will be asked to remove outer garments such as coats and sweaters. In addition, if you are carrying a purse, briefcase, or other bag, you will not be allowed to bring it with you. After you have provided the specimen, you will hand the sample bottle to the contracted company representative. You will watch the representative place a label on the bottle identifying the sample as yours, and then watch the representative affix tamper-proof tape around the bottle. You will be asked to initial the tape and complete the chain-of-custody form.
Any attempt to substitute or adulterate a sample or fraudulently affect reported results will result in loss of consideration for the position for outside applicants and disciplinary/adverse action for CBP employees.
We recommend that you drink plenty of liquids before reporting for your test.