But every so often, you might notice an employee badge that's colored silver, or even gold. Business Insider spoke to seven Costco employees from warehouses in Washington, Minnesota, Illinois ...

The moment of truth comes when you pick up your accreditation. You flip over the badge and check the color. Then you know where you stand. Still a Yellow or a Blue? Or have you risen in the ranks ...

What’s up with that? It turns out that security technology has developed badges that start out one color, then change. Some badges turn to that deep purple, others to red. And some develop red ...