June 15, 2022 Currently under DC law, an employer can fire an employee for the presence of cannabis in a drug test. B24-0109 prohibits any employer from taking any adverse actions against an employee for using cannabis, participating in the District's medical cannabis program, or failing to pass an employer’s required drug test for public safety jobs.
DC’s Council voted unanimously on June 7th to enact B24-0109, the Cannabis Employment Protections Act. Mayor Muriel Bowser has 10 days to sign or take no action for the bill to become an act, 3 days remain for her to take action or it will be automatically transmitted to Congress. Congress has 30 days to review the Act.
Send a message to Mayor Bowser in support of this effort.
If passed, this bill would provide greater protections for cannabis users and patients by making it illegal for employers to discriminate against an individual based on their marijuana use. It would also provide financial relief for residents who have faced job discrimination. DC’s Council Office of Racial Equity assessed that residents of color are more likely to be drug tested in their professions and are more likely to bear the consequences of a failed drug test. These employee protections will likely help make greater progress towards racial and social equity in DC.
This would make it illegal for any employer to wrongfully discriminate against someone for using cannabis as medicine outside of work.
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