The component is not available at this moment. Please contact the site administrator.

Reuse Request

Can we do a pre-employment drug test on a minor?

The typical areas that employers want to obtain information on are pre-employment drug testing, credit checks and criminal history. There are unique protections that apply to minors because minors (persons under the age of 18) are not legally able to consent to contracts or medical testing.

A drug test is a medical test, so an employer must obtain parental consent before having a minor drug tested.

Although companies may want to treat applicants equally and require the same standards, they should remember that minors have additional protections that apply to them. If you have questions in this area, consult your legal counsel.

You can find more information on When Drug Testing May Be Permitted in the HR Library.

Q&As

Can we ask applicants if they have a felony conviction in our application or during their interview?
Our background check company’s report included a very old felony conviction; can I consider this conviction in making my hiring decision?
May I run a credit check on a job applicant or an employee?
Can I use Megan’s Law lists to make employment decisions like screening job applicants or withdrawing offers of employment?
What happens if a potential new hire has a medical marijuana card or uses marijuana recreationally? How will this work if he fails his pre-employment drug test?
Can we require applicants to pay for the cost of a background check as long as we reimburse them once they have worked for us a specific amount of time?
Can we revoke a job offer if a background check revealed some criminal history?
May I test applicants or employees to make sure they are up to the job?