Uline Hair Follicle Drug Test: What New Hires Should Know Before the Screening

Updated 21 Oct 2026 · By the DrugTestAnswers Editorial Team

Yes. Uline's own job postings say it is a drug-free workplace and that all new hires must complete a pre-employment hair follicle drug screening. That line shows up on listings for warehouse associates, management trainees, HR and operations roles alike, so if you're applying anywhere at Uline, plan on a hair test rather than a urine cup. A hair test usually looks back about 90 days, which is very different from the few-day window most people think of. Here's what that means, what the test typically checks, how state law and prescriptions fit in, and the smartest thing to do before your appointment. We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page.

What Uline says about drug testing

Uline is a family-owned distributor of shipping, industrial and packaging supplies, headquartered in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, with warehouses and offices across the US plus locations in Canada and Mexico. Its careers listings carry a consistent note: Uline is a drug-free workplace, and all new hires must complete a pre-employment hair follicle drug screening. Some listings add that the role is considered safety sensitive for drug testing purposes, and many say all positions are on-site.

A few things that note doesn't spell out, and that you can reasonably ask your recruiter about:

• Which drug panel is ordered (a 5-panel or an expanded panel).
• Where the sample is collected and how you'll be scheduled.
• How the company handles a positive result for a valid prescription.
• Whether your specific role is classed as safety sensitive.

Asking these questions is normal. Recruiters field them all the time, and the answers help you show up prepared.

Where Uline hires

Recent postings list US locations including Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha, Milwaukee and Hudson in Wisconsin; Waukegan, Illinois; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Braselton, Georgia; Irving, Texas; Ontario, California; Reno, Nevada; Lacey, Washington; Etna, Ohio; Naples, Florida; and Plainfield, Connecticut, plus outside sales roles in many cities. The location matters because state marijuana and drug-testing laws differ, as covered below.

Why a hair test is a bigger deal than a urine test

A urine test mostly reflects the last few days for most drugs, or a few weeks for regular marijuana use. A hair test reflects a much longer stretch. The collector cuts about 1.5 inches of hair from the crown, close to the scalp, and since head hair grows roughly half an inch a month, that piece is read as about the last three months.

• Recent use is weaker in hair. New growth takes about a week to rise above the scalp, so use in the last few days is often not in the sample yet.
• Older use is stronger in hair. Use from one to three months ago is right in the middle of what gets tested.
• Stopping a few days before doesn't change much. The hair that formed while you were using is still attached.

For the growth math, see how long it takes to pass a hair follicle test.

What a pre-employment hair panel usually checks

Uline doesn't publish which panel it uses, so treat the table as typical employer practice, not a statement of Uline's policy. Our comparison of 5-panel vs 10-panel hair tests explains the difference.

Marijuana and state law at Uline locations

Hair tests detect a THC metabolite that can reflect use weeks or months earlier. Several states with Uline locations limit how employers may use those results, at least for some jobs:

• California bars most employers from acting on tests that only find non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites, which is what hair tests measure.
• Nevada generally restricts refusing to hire someone because of a positive marijuana pre-employment screen, with exceptions for certain safety-related jobs.
• Washington limits pre-employment discrimination based on lawful off-duty cannabis use or non-psychoactive metabolites, again with exceptions.

Other states, including Wisconsin, Georgia, Texas and Pennsylvania, give private employers more room. Laws change and have exceptions, especially for safety-sensitive roles, so check your state's current rules or ask HR. A drug-free policy can still apply to you even where marijuana is legal to buy.

Prescriptions

If you take a prescribed medicine that may be on the panel, such as an opioid pain medication, a benzodiazepine or an ADHD stimulant, you don't need to announce it at the collection site. In many workplace programs a confirmed positive goes to a medical review officer, a doctor who contacts you and asks for prescription details before reporting a result to the employer. Keep your pharmacy and prescriber information handy. Note that a medical marijuana card is generally treated differently from a prescription, and how it's handled depends on state law and company policy.

What the screening appointment is usually like

1. You bring a photo ID and whatever form or code the employer sends.
2. The collector checks your ID and fills out a chain-of-custody form that you sign.
3. A small lock of hair is cut close to the scalp, often from a couple of spots so it doesn't leave a bald patch.
4. The sample is wrapped, sealed and labeled in front of you, and you initial the seal.
5. The lab washes the hair, screens it and confirms any positive with a second method.

If your head hair is very short, the collector may take body hair instead, which can reflect a longer window. Negative results commonly come back within a few business days; positives take longer because of confirmation.

The smartest step: test your own hair first

If you've used anything in the last few months and you're unsure how a hair test would come out, a mail-in home hair test answers the question before Uline's test does. It uses a similar lab method and gives you a private result. The mid-page button links to TestClear's Hair Confirm kit, and our roundup of home hair follicle test kits compares options.

Product facts: Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid

Many applicants facing a hair test look at detox shampoos, and Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid from TestClear is the one most often discussed. The facts:

• Maker's directions: about 15 washes over the 3 to 10 days before a test, using the whole bottle, more than once a day if time is short.
• Not proven: no independent published study shows it, or any shampoo, gets someone past a hair drug test. Online reviews are anecdotes.
• Certain: not using is the only sure way to pass.

You can see Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid at TestClear, and our Aloe Toxin Rid review and how-to guide covers directions, schedules and comparisons. Some people also read about the Macujo or Jerry G routines; if you do, know that neither is proven, both are harsh on the scalp, and you should never mix bleach with vinegar, acids or household cleaners because it can release toxic gas.

Things that don't help

• Shaving your head: usually just moves the test to body hair, which can cover up to about a year.
• Detox drinks or lots of water: those relate to urine, not hair.
• Stopping a few days before the appointment: the hair from earlier use is still in the sample.

For more on how employers use hair testing in general, see our guides to hair drug tests for work and companies that use hair follicle testing.

Driving jobs and other tests this page doesn't cover

If a role requires a commercial driver's license, it falls under DOT drug-testing rules, and nothing here applies to it. The same goes for FAA aviation testing, federal employee programs, military testing, and court, probation or parole testing. Don't use any product or routine to try to affect those tests; tampering can count as a refusal and may be illegal.

Our sourcing

Uline's drug-testing requirement and locations come from Uline's own job postings as of October 2026; we have no affiliation with Uline, and policies can change, so confirm with the recruiter. Hair growth and detection window information comes from forensic toxicology research. State law notes are summaries and should be checked against current rules. Product directions are from TestClear's product page. See our editorial methodology.

Disclaimer and support

Informational only, not medical or legal advice. Tampering with a drug test may be illegal and can count as a refusal or failed test. The only guaranteed way to pass is abstinence. For free, confidential support 24/7, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.