Drug testing at big banks, from Bank of America to JPMorgan

A spokesperson for the Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered bank said the firm does not require new hires or current employees to test for drug use.

Documents posted on the company's website show that it may screen for drugs in select circumstances. One document, for example, says employees may be asked to "agree to undergo a screening for illegal drugs prior to or during my employment with Bank of America if requested or as legally required." A positive test may "render me ineligible for employment at Bank of America."

The drug policy posted on the bank's website says that the use or even possession of illicit drugs during work hours can lead to termination.

Citi also doesn't require drug testing as a condition of employment, a bank spokesperson said. This goes for both new hires and existing employees.

BI reported in 2019 that Citigroup was reevaluating its stance on testing job applicants for marijuana use. The bank also held high-level discussions among senior executives about how closely it should work with the cannabis industry or clients interested in doing cannabis deals.

A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs told BI that the bank does not test new hires or current employees for marijuana or other substances.

Goldman's policy is a switch from 2019 when a Goldman spokesperson told BI the bank drug tests new hires, though the screening process did not include marijuana.

A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase declined to comment on the bank's drug-testing policies.

A 2021 document obtained by BI showed that JPMorgan may test its supplier's employees, at the supplier's expense, at a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) certified site. This includes personnel who "work at a site of any JPMC and receive a JPMC identification access badge" or who have access to the bank's confidential information, networks or systems, or customer property, the document says.

A Morgan Stanley spokesperson told BI that the bank does not test employees or new hires for any substances.

Wells Fargo does not require new hires or current employees to screen for marijuana or other drugs, a spokesperson told BI. "Drug testing is not part of our pre-employment eligibility review," the spokesperson wrote.

That said, Wells Fargo's online policy calls for a "drug-free workplace," including the improper use of legal substances. "All employees are required to perform their job duties unimpaired by illegal drugs, marijuana, alcohol, or the improper use of legal substances," the policy states, adding: "Employees are prohibited from working or reporting to work when impaired by alcohol or drugs."