Home Depot to Stop Testing Workers for Marijuana, Limit Drug Screening for Most Employees
Home Depot, one of the largest employers in the United States, is making significant changes to its employee drug testing policies. According to an internal memo obtained by Marijuana Moment, the company will no longer test workers for marijuana and will limit drug screening for most employees.
The changes, set to take effect on September 1, will remove marijuana from all drug panels in the US, including tests following a workplace accident and cases where there is reasonable suspicion an employee was impaired. Additionally, pre-employment drug testing will only be conducted for external candidates with contingent offers in Asset Protection and Corporate Security.
The memo states that Home Depot continually evaluates its policies, the external environment, and benchmarks with other companies to ensure it remains competitive while complying with local, state, and federal laws.
The policy change is not applicable to employees regulated through the federal Department of Transportation.
Home Depot employs over 400,000 associates in more than 2,000 stores across the US, making it one of the largest private companies to cease marijuana screening of its employees.
The move comes as several states have passed legislation limiting or preventing drug testing of employees for marijuana. In 2021, Amazon announced it would stop testing many of its workers for marijuana and began lobbying the federal government for cannabis legalization.
The policy change has been welcomed by advocates, who have long argued that marijuana use should not be a barrier to employment. However, some critics have raised concerns about the potential impact on workplace safety.
The changes are part of a broader trend of companies revising their cannabis policies in response to changing attitudes towards marijuana and the growing legalization movement.
