NYC Bans Pre-Employment Testing for Marijua
NYC Bans Pre-Employment Testing for Marijua
The New York City Council passed on Tuesday a ban on pre-employment testing for marijuana usage.
The bill, sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo and Council Member Carlina Rivera, prohibits employers from requiring a prospective employee to submit to testing for tetrahydrocannabinols (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, as a condition of employment. Exceptions are provided for security-sensitive jobs, and those tied to a federal or state contract or grant.
Opponents of pre-employment testing, like Williams, argue that in many cases screening for THC does more harm than marijuana itself, with applicants being rejected for a positive test or declining to apply to jobs that require it.
“Testing isn’t a deterrent to using marijuana, it’s an impediment to opportunity that dates back to the Reagan era– a war on drugs measure that’s now a war on workers,” said Williams.
Cannabis accounts for about half of all positive results on drug tests, and failed tests lead to an inability for many to advance in their careers. As many as 70 percent of large employers utilize pre-employment drug screenings, encompassing as many as 40 percent of jobs, according to a 2018 Vox report.