New Law Could Protect Employees’ Marijuana Use Away From Job

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill 2188, amending the California Fair Employment and Housing Act to prohibit employment discrimination against an individual based on an employer-required drug screening test.

Basically, some employers would not be able to screen for marijuana before hiring or firing someone for marijuana use, medicinal or recreational, outside of work. There are exceptions, like people in the building and construction trades, and for jobs requiring federal background checks.

Attorney Jessica McElfresh appeared in an interview by 10News San Diego on the subject, explaining this new bill, effective January 2024, is a “big step” forward, especially after receiving hundreds of calls in the last 13 years from people denied employment, even for medicinal marijuana use.

Catch the full interview with 10News San Diego here.

California marijuana laws change frequently. For updated information, see the following pages: Medicinal Uses of Marijuana and Recreational Marijuana Business