What is California Bill AB 2188 and what does it have to do with cannabis in the workplace? In this segment, we’ll walk through what exactly Bill AB 2188 is and why it is such an important step forward for cannabis consumers in the state of California.
AB 2188 takes effect January 1, 2024
Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Bill AB 2188, which amends California drug testing law to provide employees with protection against adverse employment actions for engaging in legal off-duty and off-premises use of cannabis. The new law is set to go into effect January 1st, 2024 provides that employees may not discriminate against a person because of cannabis use.
California will prohibit employers from discriminating based on cannabis use
So what does that mean in layman’s terms? The state of California will prohibit employers from discriminating against you or a person in hiring, termination, or any term of condition of employment based on a person’s use of cannabis, off the job and away from the workplace, or adverse employment actions from engaging in legal off-duty and off-premises use of cannabis.
Meaning that by 2024 you no longer have to sh*t bricks if you don’t pass your drug test. However, this is only for cannabis. If you do anything else, maybe you don’t want to do that.
AB 2188 has limitations
Even with this new and very excellent information, the bill has several limitations. Employers who are required to follow federal drug testing mandates are exempt. Also, the bill does not require employers to permit employees to be high while working. So don’t go to work high or get high if you’re off the premises. It doesn’t work that way. Employers are not trying to get sued because you’re a dummy who didn’t understand the law in the first place, then went to go get high off premises at work, came back, clocked in f’d your shit up.
Don’t get high at work!
Don’t get high at work because if they do an investigation and see that you were high, you’re in trouble, not them! California was the first state to legalize the medical use of cannabis in 1996. Twenty years later, voters legalized the recreational use of cannabis by adults. Despite being legal in California and having the right to engage in legal activity while away from the job, countless workers and job applicants are losing their jobs daily and being fired because they test positive for use.
Be cool!
That’s not fair to me or you, and it’s not fair to millions of people who actually use this for medicinal purposes. So yay to this bill! And like always, with all that being said, I hope you enjoyed today’s segment.