Study Shows Companies Are Eliminating Drug Tests Amid Labor Shortage

As employers around the globe face a significant labor shortage, companies have had to come up with new ways to attract applicants. In addition to incentives like higher wages and flexible schedules, some companies are eliminating drug tests and job screenings.

According to a report from Vice, staffing firm, ManpowerGroup released a survey last week that revealed that 9% of more than 45,000 companies in 43 countries eliminated drug testing and job screenings as barriers to employment. 

“The global talent shortage shows no sign of slowing, with 69 percent of employers reporting difficulty filling roles,” said the report’s executive summary. “Overall, the employment outlook is optimistic, particularly for employers that are prepared to adapt to a new world of work and offer incentives to attract and retain the talent they need.”

Drug tests can complicate the hiring process even further by weeding out potential new hires from an already diminished talent pool. 

Some large companies have already adjusted their hiring practices by no longer screening for marijuana use in pre-employment drug tests. Most notably, Amazon announced in June it will no longer screen for weed during screenings for roles within the company not regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

“In the past, like many employers, we’ve disqualified people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana use,” Dave Clark, Amazon’s CEO of Worldwide Consumer, said in the announcement. 

Clark cited changing legislation in the U.S. for the company’s shift in policy. Amazon also asked its delivery partners to advertise in job listings for driver positions that they won’t test for marijuana. The company estimates that drug testing for weed cuts the prospective labor pool by up to 30%.