“We have been dealing with it for six months,” Divine said, referring to more job candidates failing drug tests. “We have more marijuana-positive drug tests than we have ever had.”
People might misunderstand that even though possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal in Virginia now, they still can be disqualified from a job for a positive test, he said. “I think we will only see more of that,” Divine said, adding that some of his clients require pre-employment drug screenings for new hires while others don’t.
Used-car retailer CarMax Inc. said it does not screen for marijuana use during the company’s pre-hire drug screening process. However, the Goochland County-based chain maintains a policy prohibiting being under the influence of drugs at work.
“CarMax is committed to maintaining a safe, drug-free workplace. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work, including marijuana and THC, violates CarMax policy,” the company said.
Online retail giant Amazon, which has thousands of employees in the Richmond region, announced in June it will no longer include marijuana in the company’s drug screening program for positions not regulated by the federal transportation department.
“In the past, like many employers, we’ve disqualified people from working at Amazon if they tested positive for marijuana use,” the company said in a statement. “However, given where state laws are moving across the U.S., we’ve changed course.”
