Spectrum Health, one of the major employers in West Michigan, is no longer screening new hires for marijuana. However, this only applies to most positions.
In a statement to 13 ON YOUR SIDE, a spokesperson with the hospital system says:
“To reduce barriers to employment and because recreational marijuana is legal in Michigan, BHSH System no longer includes THC, or marijuana, in its pre-employment drug screen for the majority of positions. Our patients and community members can be confident that we comply with the applicable laws establishing drug-free workplace requirements and that we will take all measures necessary to establish a safe environment of care.”
Recreational use of marijuana was legalized in Michigan nearly four years ago.
“It may also reflect the shifting attitudes towards marijuana generally,” Professor Mark Dotson, with Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School, says.
Dotson says while marijuana is legal, that doesn’t mean all companies in the state have to do away with their drug testing on employees.
“So there are a number of different reasons why employers might prohibit certain activities or discourage certain activities as among its employees,” he says.
Dotson says part of the reason companies have drug tests in place is to protect themselves from liability.
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