Rules ending cannabis testing for tens of thousands of government employees in Michigan took effect on Sunday, FOX 2 reports. The Michigan Civil Service Commission had first proposed the rule change last May and the reforms were unanimously approved by the commission in the summer.
Employees who work in safety-sensitive positions, including law enforcement, operate vehicles, provide health care, or work with prisoners, will still be tested for cannabis before being hired but the change impacts about two-thirds of the jobs within the state government.
In an interview with FOX 2, Commissioner Nick Ciaramitaro said “Whether or not we agree with (recreational cannabis) is kind of beyond the point in terms of pre-hire.”
“Use of marijuana on the job is different than having used it months before you take the test. It doesn’t make sense to eliminate qualified people because they took a gummy two weeks ago.” — Ciaramitaro to FOX 2
There are currently about 200 applicants who are barred from working for the state due to a failed pre-employment cannabis test. Under the new rules, those individuals can reach out to the civil service department and request the removal of the sanction, allowing them to be eligible for state employment.
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