In a memo entitled: Update on our vision to be Earth’s Best Employer and Earth’s Safest Place to Work, Amazon has excluded marijuana from its comprehensive drug screening program for any positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Instead, Amazon will treat marijuana like alcohol in an effort to better reflect the law in many states. Amazon will continue impairment checks and after any incidents.
Why did Amazon get out in front here? Currently, 18 states and Washington DC have legalized some form of recreational marijuana use. Some of these states went further and provide employment protections for cannabis users. For Amazon and many multi-state employers, a shift in marijuana testing provides a uniform drug policy across its Earth-bound workforce. Beyond the legal landscape, marijuana is tricky because it sticks around in the system, meaning use outside of work. Hiring is tough and eliminating anyone who does weed off the job could impact an already thin applicant pool.
What should you do? If you decide to make changes to your current marijuana screening, safety is key. Your organization might have sensitive safety jobs that are not regulated by the DOT but still should be included in comprehensive screening. Of course, many states that legalized marijuana still permit testing policies for cannabis use. Whether you include marijuana screening or not, “reasonable suspicion” needs to be well- defined and managers need training on consistent implementation. And, as ever, document!–including verbal encounter follow-up with emails.
We are happy to help your workforce nationwide, whether on Earth or in space [insert Bezos space trip joke here]. We can help.