Proposed Massachusetts Law Would Protect Workers from Being Fired for Off-Hours Marijuana Use

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A proposed law in Massachusetts would bar employers from firing workers for off-hours marijuana use, as The Boston Globe reports. While marijuana is legal in the state for adults 21 and older, workers can still be fired if they test positive for using the drug on their own time.

The measure, filed by Mass. state Senator Jason Lewis, would treat marijuana more like alcohol: Employers could still fire workers who show up to work impaired by marijuana, but would no longer be able to police their private, off-hours use.

While the prospects of the proposed measure are still unclear, this move would be a win for supporters of marijuana legalization, as well as for those who want to keep employers from policing workers’ use of their private time.