Private companies in D.C. will not be allowed to fire workers who test positive for marijuana use, under a law passed by the D.C. Council on Tuesday that now heads to the desk of Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) for her signature.
Recreational marijuana use has been legal in the District since a 2014 ballot initiative, and council members said they believe no worker should be fired for using a legal substance.
The new law makes exceptions, however, for workers in “safety-sensitive jobs,” including operators of heavy machinery, construction workers, police and security guards who carry weapons and medical professionals. While the District already created protections for city employees who use marijuana, the District’s government cannot bar the federal government from disciplining federal employees for marijuana use.
The council noted a report from the American Addiction Centers that found government jobs were most likely to require drug tests from workers — likely blunting the impact of the legislation, which was introduced by Council member Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8).
Still, council members said the local law would protect some workers, especially people of color. They pointed to a 2013 Yale study that found 63 percent of Black workers have jobs that conduct drug testing, compared with 46 percent of White workers. [Read More @ The Washington Post]
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