Should NY Employers Soften Stance On Pot Use?

As more and more employers in surrounding states are finding it difficult to staff their companies, many are adopting a much more relaxed attitude when it comes to drug testing. Michigan could become the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana use in November among it's employees, while Missouri appears on track to become the 30th state to allow medical pot use.  Could New York be on the horizon?

Though still in its early stages, the shift away from marijuana testing appears likely to accelerate. According to report from News10 ABC more states are legalizing cannabis for recreational us. States have been dropping marijuana from the drug tests they require of prospective employees. Marijuana testing — a fixture at large American employers for at least 30 years — excludes too many potential workers, experts say, at a time when filling jobs is more challenging than it's been in nearly two decades.

According to the report, there is no definitive data on how many companies conduct drug tests, though the Society of Human Resources Management found in a survey that more than half do so.

Although many states have passed laws regulating or restricting an employer’s right to require drug testing, New York is not one of them.