California bans marijuana pre-employment screening
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California employers are no longer allowed to inquire about a job applicant’s past marijuana use under a bill signed into law on Saturday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 700, which protects workers by banning employers from conducting pre-employment drug screenings for cannabis.
The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, also generally bars employers from penalizing individuals because of off-the-clock marijuana use.
The measure does not protect information regarding a person’s past marijuana use if the information specifically pertains to a job applicant’s criminal history in cases where employers are permitted to consider that information under certain state and federal laws.
The new law does not apply to job applicants seeking employment in the building and construction trades.
The law also does not allow workers to be impaired by marijuana on the job.
