Faces of CRD
Real real-life stories about how CRD is protecting and enforcing the civil rights of all Californians.
CANNABIS DISCRIMINATION AT WORK
Travis
When California changed its civil rights laws to protect workers who use cannabis away from the workplace, Travis was excited to start a new job.
Travis, who uses medical cannabis to treat a health issue, hasn’t been able to apply to certain jobs because of drug testing. So, when it became illegal for employers to discriminate against workers who use cannabis during their time off, he quickly got hired as a carpenter.
However, a few days into training, things changed. Travis says he was fired because a pre-employment drug test showed he had used cannabis.
“I thought I was going to be ok because I live in California… I told them the law had changed, and they told me they weren’t sure what the law was. So, I did some research online and reached out to CRD.”
Travis decided to file a discrimination complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), and an investigator began to work with him to learn about the situation, review the facts, and explore different options to resolve the issue.
“I was nervous, anxious, upset… [but] CRD was very professional and the agent that I had was very helpful, and the process was very simple.”
CRD was able to help Travis reach a settlement with his employer, but for Travis, knowing changes will be made to protect other workers is what really matters.
“Cannabis users are just like anybody else… They’re good people, good employees and no one should be discriminated against.”
If you’re facing discrimination at work, you can file a civil rights complaint with CRD. CRD will investigate the facts and it’s illegal for your employer to retaliate against you.
If you’re interested in learning more about California’s cannabis law, check out our cannabis guide, which covers your rights at work. It includes more details on how workers are protected by the law and its exceptions.