The State of Michigan is Now Hiring Cannabis Users
09/29/2023
Michigan has taken a pivotal step toward modernizing its employment policies by suspending pre-employment marijuana screening for most state jobs, effective October 1st. This decision, championed by the Michigan Civil Service Commission, is seen as a move to align state policies with the 2018 ballot initiative legalizing recreational marijuana use for adults over 21.
The move comes at a time when the state is grappling with a severe hiring crisis. An alarming revelation came earlier this year when it was reported that Michigan had rejected 151 job applicants, who had conditional offers of employment, due to positive marijuana tests. This number is a significant increase from the 49 failed tests in 2018, the last year marijuana was illegal, and the 71 failures in 2021.
The state is, however, not entirely doing away with pre-employment marijuana testing. Approximately 14,000 state jobs, deemed sensitive, will still require the test. These positions include those requiring a commercial driver's license, roles in law enforcement or corrections, and jobs that involve handling hazardous materials. Additionally, state employees are still prohibited from reporting to work under the influence of marijuana, and "for cause" testing will be permitted for anyone suspected of doing so.
More than 200 people who were previously excluded from state government jobs due to failing a pre-employment marijuana screening in the last three years can now have those sanctions lifted via email, according to Kurt Weiss, a state spokesman.
While this change has been met with mixed reactions, it undeniably serves as a testament to the shifting attitudes toward marijuana use in the workplace. Commissioner Nick Ciaramitaro equated the legalization of marijuana to that of alcohol, noting the discrepancy in detection times between the two substances. He asserted, "We need to make this change, quite frankly, because the people of the state of Michigan... made that decision." This statement encapsulates the essence of the policy shift – a reflection of the evolving societal attitudes toward marijuana.
Reference
The move comes at a time when the state is grappling with a severe hiring crisis. An alarming revelation came earlier this year when it was reported that Michigan had rejected 151 job applicants, who had conditional offers of employment, due to positive marijuana tests. This number is a significant increase from the 49 failed tests in 2018, the last year marijuana was illegal, and the 71 failures in 2021.
The state is, however, not entirely doing away with pre-employment marijuana testing. Approximately 14,000 state jobs, deemed sensitive, will still require the test. These positions include those requiring a commercial driver's license, roles in law enforcement or corrections, and jobs that involve handling hazardous materials. Additionally, state employees are still prohibited from reporting to work under the influence of marijuana, and "for cause" testing will be permitted for anyone suspected of doing so.
More than 200 people who were previously excluded from state government jobs due to failing a pre-employment marijuana screening in the last three years can now have those sanctions lifted via email, according to Kurt Weiss, a state spokesman.
While this change has been met with mixed reactions, it undeniably serves as a testament to the shifting attitudes toward marijuana use in the workplace. Commissioner Nick Ciaramitaro equated the legalization of marijuana to that of alcohol, noting the discrepancy in detection times between the two substances. He asserted, "We need to make this change, quite frankly, because the people of the state of Michigan... made that decision." This statement encapsulates the essence of the policy shift – a reflection of the evolving societal attitudes toward marijuana.
Reference
