Amazon will no longer test job applicants for marijuana use. The update to the company’s guidelines was announced on Tuesday (June 1 ) alongside another policy change.
“In the past, like many employers, we’ve disqualified people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana use,” Dave Clark, CEO of Amazon’s worldwide consumer division, wrote in a blog post, per CNN. “However, given where state laws are moving across the U.S., we’ve changed course. We will no longer include marijuana in our comprehensive drug screening program for any positions not regulated by the Department of Transportation, and will instead treat it the same as alcohol use.
“We will continue to do impairment checks on the job and will test for all drugs and alcohol after any incident.”
The use of recreational marijuana has gradually become legal in various states over the years. In March, after Andrew Cuomo signed legislation legalizing the substance, New York joined the likes of New Jersey, New Mexico and Virginia, becoming the 15th state to approve its recreational use. Lawmakers are now pushing for the legalization of marijuana at the federal level.
Recently, congressional leaders reintroduced the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021, which calls for the federal decriminalization of the substance. The bill would also clear criminal penalties and records among other things.
Aside from deciding to no longer test job seekers for marijuana, Amazon also announced its support of the the passing of the M.O.R.E. Act. “We hope other employers will join us and that policymakers will act swiftly to pass this law,” Clark added.
In non-cannabis-related changes, Amazon will also be reviewing their Time off Task policy, which tracks the time workers spend on breaks. Both changes are said to be steps toward the company’s commitment to be a more “attractive employer.”