The New York Times Interviews Fisher Phillips Partner on City’s Proposal to Ban Marijuana Testing

In a move that is the first of its kind in the U.S., the New York City Council passed a bill that would prohibit employers from requiring job applicants to take drug tests for marijuana use. The bill would impact public and private employers in New York City, including companies with headquarters elsewhere. Melissa Osipoff, partner in New York, spoke with The New York Times about how and why employers use drug testing and how the legalization of marijuana has shifted these policies and attitudes.

Melissa says, “Employers defended the testing as a way to root out prospective workers whose drug use could have led to impaired judgment, lower productivity and higher absentee rates.” However, she added: “Even in states that have legalized some form of marijuana, employers have felt pressed to reconsider drug-testing policies in order to hire competitively. In states where it’s legal, they’ll tell you, ‘We can’t get good candidates if we test for marijuana.’”

To read the full article, visit The New York Times.