What Amazon's New Drug Testing Requirements Could Mean
On June 1, 2021, Amazon announced that they will no longer drug test potential employees for marijuana for jobs that do not involve heavy machinery usage.
Less than three months ago, the company was sued by a New York City man whose job offer was rescinded due to a positive drug test for marijuana. The plaintiff accused Amazon of violating an NYC human rights law that prohibits employers from screening job candidates for marijuana.
Now, for positions that do not need to meet Department of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Compliance, Amazon will drop marijuana testing.
What does this mean for other companies?
Amazon has been known for changing the commercial landscape several times for different aspects of business. Their termination of marijuana testing for most cases, as well as their endorsement of The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021, demonstrate a trend in employers relaxing testing requirements.
Amazon’s group executive director Kassandra Frédérique stated, “As the United States’ second largest private employer, Amazon committing to no longer test those of its 1.3 million employees not regulated by DOT for marijuana — and publicly supporting the MORE Act — is a huge step forward in eliminating one of the main ways the drug war has robbed so many of their livelihoods.”
Amazon said it would continue doing impairment checks on the job and testing for all drugs and alcohol after each violation. People running heavy equipment and driving trucks, for example, are still required to comply with DOT regulations.
"The decision by Amazon to update their drug testing policy to omit marijuana will have a huge impact," said Matthew Schweich, deputy director at MPP. "Disqualifying potential employees for cannabis use is both outdated and bad for business. Adults should not be punished for responsibly using cannabis outside of the workplace.”
While eliminating testing requirements for non-DOT compliant positions could sweep the nation, policies cannot be relaxed for those who work in jobs that must meet drug and alcohol compliance. Amazon’s continuation of meeting compliance is necessary for the safety and efficiency of the company.
