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Video: NYC Council bans drug testing job applicants for Marijuana

Video Transcript:

Hi I’m Andrew Yacyshyn, employment attorney at Tannenbaum Helpern, and welcome to our HRMinute. Earlier this week on April 9th the New York City Council passed legislation that will prohibit employers from drug testing applicants for THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana. Requiring such a pre-employment drug screen will now be deemed a discriminatory practice under the New York City Human Rights Law. Of course there are exceptions to the law, such as for police officers, jobs that require a commercial driver’s license, and where federal or state law require a pre-employment test. Let’s be clear, this does not now give employees the right to show up to work high. Employers can still enforce policies that prohibit employees from performing their job while impaired. This just bans pre-employment drug testing for marijuana. Mayor Bill deBlasio is expected to sign the law shortly, and the law will take effect one year after the date it is signed. So employers have plenty of time to review and revise their drug testing policies and procedures. Thank you.

On April 9, 2019, New York Council passed legislation to ban drug testing job applicants for Marijuana at most companies. In this HRMinute, employment attorney Andrew Yacyshyn discusses which jobs continue to require drug testing and when the law is expected to be effective.

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04.15.2019  |  PUBLICATION: HRMinute  |  TOPICS: Employment  |  INDUSTRIES: Cannabis

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