CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On the first day of legalized recreational marijuana in Ohio, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced City Hall will no longer require pre-employment marijuana screening for some city workers.
Bibb, in a Thursday news release, said that such marijuana testing has hindered past hiring efforts. The city currently has hundreds of vacant positions it is looking to fill.
Not all job candidates are in the clear when it comes to marijuana testing, though. Many positions in some of the largest city departments will still have to submit to such testing, the news release said.
Those exceptions relate to “safety/security-sensitive jobs” and other positions that are governed by federal Department of Transportation regulations. Police, fire and EMS workers will still undergo marijuana testing, as will any city workers that require commercial driver’s licenses or operate heavy machines or mechanical tools, the release said.
Exceptions also include positions in the Department of Port Control, which includes Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, where many of its policies must comply with federal standards. Other state and federal laws, along with locally-struck collective bargaining agreements, could also impact which jobs still require pre-employment screening, the release said.
But for many office jobs and other positions, Bibb views the end of testing as another way to improve city hiring and in line with the three-quarters of Cleveland voters who supported Issue 2 in November, legalizing recreational marijuana statewide.
“The criminalization of marijuana in our state and the punitive effects it has had on education, housing, and employment opportunities have lasted far too long, but will eventually be a thing of the past – thanks to Ohioans who made their voices heard loud and clear last month when they voted to approve Issue 2,” Bibb said in the release.
As for the change’s impact on hiring, City Hall is looking for more ways to chip away at its 800-plus vacant positions, though that figure includes 300 police jobs and likely many others that will still require testing. Dropping such tests will also save taxpayer money, the city said.
The release cited similar dropped testing requirements in other places, such as Baltimore, that demonstrate “workplace performance is not related to after-work marijuana use,” the release said.
“We are constantly evaluating our policies to ensure they align with the needs and desires of both our current and prospective employees. Pre-employment screening can often times create obstacles in filling open positions by preventing otherwise qualified candidates from even applying,” Human Resources Director Matt Cole stated.
Intoxication and marijuana use on the job is still not allowed. Neither is buying, selling, possessing or distributing marijuana while on duty. Employees found to be high on the clock or in possession of marijuana while working will still be subject to discipline, the release said.