The governor is set to sign a bill that will protect Washington State workers from discrimination in the workplace due to their marijuana use during the hiring process.
The Senate approved the final bill on Wednesday, 30-18.
The legislation introduced by Sen. Karen Keiser would prevent employers from discriminating based on cannabis consumption, which is legal in the state.
Happy 4/20 to WA! It’s not fair to penalize you in a job application for using a legal substance while at home. #SB5123, passed yesterday by a bipartisan vote, will protect employees against hiring discrimination because of cannabis use outside the work place. #WALeg #PuttingPeopleFirst pic.twitter.com/KovV3O6SPv
— WA Senate Democrats April 20, 2019
Reform is only applicable to job candidates. The reform is limited to job applicants.
In the aerospace and airline industries, marijuana use could also be a reason for people to be denied employment. The bill does not protect positions that are safety-sensitive or require federal background checks and security clearance.
During the legislative process, the measure was modified several times. It was rewritten to include protections for first responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters and correctional officers.
The House adopted an amendment last month that would have moved the statutory language into a different section of the state code. However, the Senate refused to accept the change when it first rejected the change.
On Wednesday, Kaiser, ‘s sponsor, said that the bill was “aligned in the way it is intended.”
The bill text states: “The Legislature finds that legalizing recreational cannabis in Washington State in 2012 caused a disconnect between the hiring practices of employers and the legal activities of prospective employees.”
It continues, “Many cannabis tests show the presence of nonpsychoactive cannabis-metabolites from previous cannabis use. This can be up to 30 day’s old, and has no correlation with an applicant’s future performance.” The legislature wants to stop employers from denying applicants a job because of their past cannabis use.
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Washington, if enacted by the legislature, would join Nevada as a state that prohibits discrimination against applicants who test positive for marijuana. Other states such as California or New York provide greater protection for adult cannabis users who use it legally during non-working hours.
Governor Inslee must now act on the bill. Jay Inslee, a Democrat from Washington State who is the chair of the state’s drug policy committee has received several proposals for this session.
The legislature, for example, recently passed which would promote research on psilocybin as well as create a pilot project to provide therapeutic access the psychedelic to treat mental health.
Last week, lawmakers passed a measure that allows the governor to sign agreements with other states that have legalized marijuana for interstate cannabis commerce pending a change in federal policy.
Schumer wishes marijuana advocates a ‘Happy 420,’ and says he’ll “work like hell” for legalization
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