Yes, You Can Still Be Fired For Using Cannabis: Making Sense of Employment Discrimination Post-Legalization In Illinois

Like most well-intentioned laws, the sweeping legislation known as the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA), passed in December 2019, included wide-ranging implications for employees and employers throughout the State. For one, the law effectively made it completely legal to consumer or possess cannabis for personal recreational use. But this left open the question of whether a person could be fired for testing positive for cannabis or cannabinoid compounds. Obviously, employers want to make sure they have a right to prohibit people from operating heavy equipment or showing up to work high. But how does an employer do that?