Cleveland, OH: City officials have removed pre-employment drug screening requirements for many public employees.
Officials announced the municipal policy change on Thursday, the same day provisions of a voter-approved marijuana legalization measure (Issue 2) took effect.
Under the new rules, public employees will only undergo pre-employment drug tests if they apply for certain safety-sensitive positions, such as fire-fighters, police officers, and emergency responders.
“Pre-employment screening can often create obstacles in filling open positions by preventing otherwise qualified candidates from even applying,” city officials stated in a press release. “These policy updates are more cost-effective and will ultimately help us widen the applicant pool for several city positions.”
Several other municipalities – including Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and St. Louis – have enacted similar ordinances. Michigan, Nevada, and Washington have passed legislation halting pre-employment marijuana testing statewide. Several other states — including California, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island — have enacted broader workplace protections limiting employers’ ability to test for or sanction employees for their cannabis use while off the job.
Ohio’s new marijuana law permits adults to consume cannabis in private, but it does not amend workplace drug testing policies.
Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana Legalization and Impact on the Workplace.’