Can testing positive for benzodiazepines in a job drug test cause you not to get the job?

It really depends on the situation and who is handling the test. There are many tests out there, however the most common is a 3 panel (or 3 + 1) which will test for THC (marijuana), Cocaine, and Amphetamines (legal or illegal). The +1 also tests for alcohol. However these tests do go as high as a 12 panel, testing for 12 different "classes" of drugs.

Depending on the reason for the test (pre-employment, random, post-accident, etc) an employer may choose to do either a Rapid Test or GC-MS or Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrum. A rapid test gives near instant results and is usually administered for pre-employment or random drug tests. If the employer is testing as a result of an accident or suspicion of drug use they may use GC-MS, however this is very uncommon due to the extreme cost of the test.

Going back to the original question, it is usually safe to say that Benzodiazapine's are out of one's system within 7 days if used as needed, however it can take as long as 4-6 weeks for chronic users. There are many factors that can change these numbers however such as which one(s) have been taken. Shorter acting Benzo's such as Alprazolam (Xanex) can be out of the system much quicker than others such as Clonazopam (Klonopin).

It is very hard to give any type of definitive answer because there are so many variables that come into play such as your BMI (body mass index), metabolism, exercise, fluid intake, diet, drug taken, amount of the drug taken, duration you took the drug, etc etc. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about it unless the test is a ways away which they usually aren't! Many people are led to believe that drinking a lot of water will flush it out of your body, however either test will test for creatanine levels and will tell the person if the urine is diluted, a GC-MS test will factor all of these variables into account and still determine how much has been taken.

All of the above is based on a Urine test which is the most common, saliva or blood tests are less sensitive and can test for a much shorter duration while a hair sample can test for months and months.

Also, if you are legally prescribed the drug you are talking about you have nothing to worry about. If you do test positive, this is considered what is called a "False Positive" which will be reviewed by an MRO or Medical Review Officer, someone trained to administer and read a drug test. The MRO will most likely contact you asking you to provide proof of the prescription including the dosage amount and frequency. Then depending on weight, creatanine levels, amount of drug, and various other factors will make a determination that you are legitimately taking the drug. It is ILLEGAL for an employer to discriminate against anyone who is LEGALLY PRESCRIBED any medication unless it is directly against the employer's guidelines due to safety which would have been explained during the hiring process.