According to the Seattle Times, WA Senate passes bill to bar hiring discrimination for cannabis use | The Seattle Times
The Washington State Senate passed a bill Wednesday, February 22nd, that would protect most job candidates in the state from being discriminated against simply for using marijuana outside of the workplace.
So, employers can’t screen you out of the job application process, however, they can still fire you after you are hired if use cannabis on the weekend on your own time, even if you do not have a “safety and security job. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/washington-senate-approves-bill-to-protect-job-applicants-who-use-marijuana-from-discrimination/
But what exactly is a safety-sensitive job?
"Safety-sensitive generally means that a position involves some aspect of a heightened danger that requires an employee's full and unimpaired skills and judgment to safely execute his or her job," said Mary Will, an attorney with Faegre Drinker in Denver.
However, she said, employers should understand that the definition of "safety-sensitive" varies by state, and not all states have such exemptions.
So, this is confusing.
In response to the WA Senate bill, Bill Bryson from the, Cannabis Alliance, said:
“If the same approach were applied to alcohol, employers would refuse employment to anyone who enjoyed a beer or glass of wine on the weekend.”
Sen. Karen Keiser (D), told colleagues before Wednesday’s vote.
“The protection would apply only to pre-employment drug tests. Workers could still be fired for a positive cannabis test that occurs after they’re hired. “If your employer wants to test you every week after you’re hired, they’re still able to do that."Seattle Times.
What does the current science say?
Researchers at the University of Sydney reviewed 20 studies that looked at the effects of marijuana eight hours after use, focusing on performance assessments. Their findings are set to be published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
“A small number of lower-quality studies have observed negative (i.e., impairing) ‘next day’ effects of THC on cognitive function and safety-sensitive tasks. However, higher-quality studies, and a large majority of performance tests, have not.”
Moreover, the study says:
“Policy makers should bear in mind that the implementation of very conservative workplace regulations can have serious consequences, such as termination of employment with a positive drug test,” the study states. “They can also impact the quality of life of individuals who are required to abstain from medicinal cannabis used to treat conditions such as insomnia or chronic pain for fear of a positive workplace or roadside drug test.”
Since it’s now established science that drug tests are only able to detect inactive THC metabolites that can stay in a person’s system for weeks or months after use, and don’t reflect intoxication. they are not accurate measures of risk.
For example, certain sectors like the trucking industry have identified THC screening as a major contributing factor for labor shortages.
Clearly, it’s time to use the science to make these policy decisions rather than out dated biased discriminatory policies.
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