California’s governor has approved a bill to prohibit employers from asking job applicants about prior marijuana use.
Lawmakers gave final approval to the cannabis employment protections legislation last month and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed it into law on Saturday.
“With cannabis being legal for adults 21+, requiring someone to disclose cannabis use may discourage good applicants from applying,” bill sponsor Sen. Steven Bradford (D) said.
The new law builds on existing employment protections enacted last session that bar employers from penalizing most workers for using marijuana in compliance with state law off the job.
With certain exceptions, “it is unlawful for an employer to request information from an applicant for employment relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis,” the now-enacted bill text says.
The earlier law passed last year says it is unlawful for employers “to discriminate against a person in hiring, termination, or any term or condition of employment, or otherwise penalizing a person, if the discrimination is based upon” off-duty marijuana use or drug tests that reveal cannabinoid metabolites.
There are exceptions to the policy for workers “in the building and construction trades,” as well as those that require federal background checks and security clearances.
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