This article was originally published by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and appears here with permission.
Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee has signed legislation (Senate Bill 5123) into law prohibiting employers from taking adverse actions against new hires because of a failed drug test for marijuana.
The new law, which takes effect on January 1, 2024, states, “It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person in the initial hiring for employment if the discrimination is based upon: (a) The person’s use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace; or (b) An employer-required drug screening test that has found the person to have non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites in their hair, blood, urine, or other bodily fluids.”
The law does not impact workplace policies that …