An Illinois proposal would limit employers from making employment decisions based on a positive cannabis test with the goal of treating the plant like any other legal substance.
Illinois Bill Would Set Limits for Fireable Levels of THC
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A bill proposed in Illinois would prohibit employers from firing—or refusing to hire—workers simply for a positive cannabis test, according to a Chicago Tribune report. State Rep. Bob Morgan (D) told the Tribune that the intent of the law “is to categorize cannabis use on personal time” the same way the state treats any other substance so long as workers are not impaired in the workplace.
The law wouldn’t apply to workers in safety-sensitive positions and federal employees.
Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said the organization opposes the reforms because it could lead to more workers using cannabis. The chamber didn’t oppose the state’s legalization law because it included protections for employers, but Morgan’s proposal would undermine those standards, Maisch said in the report.
The proposal would allow employers to continue with pre-employment and random drug tests, with a “zero-tolerance” policy but employers would be required to allow up to the driving-while-impaired limit, which is 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood, or 10 nanograms of THC per milliliter of saliva, urine, or other bodily fluid.
The bill was filed late last month but has not yet been assigned to any legislative committees.
Illinois has one of the nation’s hottest cannabis markets. Last May, cannabis tax revenues in the state surpassed those of alcohol.
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