{"id":54797,"date":"2020-08-17T10:54:32","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T14:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/?p=54797"},"modified":"2023-10-06T10:35:05","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T15:35:05","slug":"know-your-state-drug-testing-rules-california-governed-by-the-state-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/blogs\/know-your-state-drug-testing-rules-california-governed-by-the-state-constitution\/","title":{"rendered":"Know your State drug testing rules \u2013 California"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"54797\" class=\"elementor elementor-54797\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-466bd9d4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"466bd9d4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;container_type&quot;:&quot;flex&quot;,&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c609074 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3c609074\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.17.0 - 08-11-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>There are many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/state-laws-for-workplace-drug-testing\/\"><strong>State laws on drug testing<\/strong><\/a>, learn about drug testing laws in California.&nbsp; California is governed by the State Constitution<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Content provided by guest authors &#8211; By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/bill-judge-bio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">William J. Judge, JD. LL.M.<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/bio-nick-hartman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nick Hartman<\/a>, Co-Founders of <a href=\"http:\/\/drugscreeningci.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Drug Screening Compliance Institute (DSCI)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cAll people are, by nature, free and independent and have inalienable rights. Among these are enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy.<a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Article I, Section I of the California Constitution provides that \u201c<em>all people<\/em>\u201d enjoy the right to privacy.&nbsp; This is where all private employment drug testing considerations within California must begin.&nbsp; No state statute in California limits private employer drug testing, but the state constitution does.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In 1994, the California Supreme Court recognized that the right to privacy established by a voter initiative in 1974 limited private entities.<a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a>&nbsp; Why is this important to know?&nbsp; Because, typically, state constitutions and the constitution of the United States protect us from actions <em>by the government<\/em> or those acting on behalf of the government.&nbsp; Constitutional protections do not usually extend to <em>private<\/em> actions such as in the workplace <a href=\"#_ftn3\" name=\"_ftnref3\">[3]<\/a> &#8211; except in California.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The California Supreme Court first determined that the California constitution protects individuals in a private setting.&nbsp; In <em>Hill v. NCAA,<\/em> student-athletes challenged required drug testing imposed by the NCAA through Stanford University, one of its member institutions.<a href=\"#_ftn4\" name=\"_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a>&nbsp; The NCAA argued that as a private entity, it was not limited by the state constitution. The Court disagreed, concluding that a right of action against private as well as government entities was created by Article I, Section I of the California Constitution.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Courts have extended the <em>Hill<\/em> determination to private workplace drug testing.&nbsp; How is this principle applied to drug testing? The right to privacy<a href=\"#_ftn5\" name=\"_ftnref5\">[5]<\/a> , as recognized in <em>Hill,<\/em> protects us from unreasonable searches.&nbsp; A drug test is considered to be a search.<a href=\"#_ftn6\" name=\"_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a>&nbsp; It has long been known that the act of urination is inherently private.<a href=\"#_ftn7\" name=\"_ftnref7\">[7]<\/a> Therefore, to be constitutional, a drug test must be reasonable.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>What is <em>reasonable<\/em>?&nbsp; The legitimacy of each aspect of an employer\u2019s drug-testing program will be viewed in light of its reasonableness. Who will be tested? When do tests occur? How will tests be conducted? The reasonableness of each aspect of a testing program must be balanced against an applicant\u2019s or employee\u2019s expectation of privacy.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Consider the following examples:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>1997: California Supreme Court in <em>Loder v. City of Glendale<a href=\"#_ftn8\" name=\"_ftnref8\"><strong>[8]<\/strong><\/a> , <\/em>after balancing the City\u2019s need to maintain safety against the individual\u2019s privacy interest, approved all applicant testing but not testing of all those seeking promotion.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>1999: California Appellate Court upheld random testing in <em>Smith v. Fresno Irrigation Dist<\/em>.,<a href=\"#_ftn9\" name=\"_ftnref9\">[9]<\/a> after balanced the safety-sensitive nature of the District\u2019s positions against the employee\u2019s privacy interest.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>2000: California Appellate Court in <em>Edgerton v. State Personnel Board<\/em><a href=\"#_ftn10\" name=\"_ftnref10\">[10]<\/a> affirmed a trial court\u2019s determination that requiring an employee\u2019s drug test during off-duty hours violated the employee\u2019s expectation of privacy.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>2015: California Appellate court found that debt collectors working for a private employer could not be characterized as safety-sensitive, thereby justifying random testing.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Employers must analyze the reasonableness (<em>employer interest v individual\u2019s privacy<\/em>) of every aspect of a drug testing program. In balance, are those to be tested necessary? Is the timing of the test (pre-employment, random, post-accident, etc.) appropriate? How will tests be conducted (hair, urine, blood, etc.)? Are the consequences imposed reasonable?<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Employers conducting workplace drug testing in California must find the constitutional balance.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugscreeningci.com\/\">\u00a92020 Drug Screening Compliance Institute (\u201cDSCI\u201d).<\/a> All rights reserved. DSCI is NOT a law firm. The information contained herein is for general informational purposes only. DSCI does not practice law, is not licensed to practice law, and is not providing legal advice. Best efforts are made to present the most up-to-date information available; however, this material changes often. You should consult an attorney regarding the use of information before taking any action. DSCI must first approve redistribution of this content in any form.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> California Constitution, Art. I, Sec. 1 added Nov. 5, 1974, by Proposition 7. Resolution Chapter 90, 1974<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> <em>Hill v. NCAA<\/em> (1994) 7 Cal.4<sup>th<\/sup> 1, 20.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref3\" name=\"_ftn3\">[3]<\/a> Some states have extended <em>statutory<\/em> rights to privacy to the <em>private<\/em> workplace. <em>See for example &nbsp;Alaska: Luedtke v. Nabors Alaska Drilling, Inc.<\/em>, 768 P.2d 1123; <em>Hennessey v. Coastal Eagle Point Oil Co<\/em>., <a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/hennessey-v-coastal-eagle-point-oil-co\">129 N.J. 81<\/a> (1992); <em>Twigg v Hercules Corp<\/em>., <a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/twigg-v-hercules-corp\">185 W. Va. 155<\/a> (1990).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref4\" name=\"_ftn4\">[4]<\/a> <em>Hill v. NCAA<\/em>, 7 Cal.4<sup>th<\/sup> 1, 23-24 (1994).&nbsp; The Court pointed out that case law generally confirms that the NCAA is a private organization.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref5\" name=\"_ftn5\">[5]<\/a> Defined as \u201cthe right to be left alone.\u201d&nbsp; Warren and Brandeis, <em>The Right to Privacy<\/em> (1890) 4 Harv. L .Rev. 193; cited by the California Supreme Court in <em>Hill v. NCAA<\/em>, 7 Cal.4<sup>th<\/sup> 1, 23-24 (1994).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref6\" name=\"_ftn6\">[6]<\/a> Skinner v. Railway Labor Executives\u2019 Assn. (1989) 489 U.S. 602; cited by the California Supreme Court <em>in Loder v. City of Glendale<\/em>, 14 Cal.4<sup>th<\/sup> 846 (1997)<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref7\" name=\"_ftn7\">[7]<\/a> Folmsbee v. Tech Tool Grinding Supply, Inc. 417 Mass. 388 (Mass. 1994).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref8\" name=\"_ftn8\">[8]<\/a>&nbsp; 14 Cal.4<sup>th<\/sup> 846 (1997).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref9\" name=\"_ftn9\">[9]<\/a> &nbsp;72 Cal. App.4<sup>th&nbsp; <\/sup>147 (1999),<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref10\" name=\"_ftn10\">[10]<\/a>&nbsp; 83 Cal. App.4<sup>th<\/sup> 1350 (2000).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6887fe2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6887fe2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;container_type&quot;:&quot;flex&quot;,&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a564e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"9a564e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\">\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"119272\" class=\"elementor elementor-119272\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b730aa2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b730aa2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;container_type&quot;:&quot;flex&quot;,&quot;content_width&quot;:&quot;boxed&quot;}\" data-core-v316-plus=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9921b7a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9921b7a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.17.0 - 08-11-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Know the New Marijuana Laws Affecting California Employers\n\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ce63c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4ce63c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\tWith the changing legal landscape surrounding marijuana use, California is once again leading the charge. But how does this impact you as an employer? Here&#8217;s what you need to know about the recent changes, effective January 1, 2024.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97f951e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"97f951e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/blogs\/marijuana-drug-testing-in-california\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Learn More<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are many State laws on drug testing, learn about drug testing laws in California.&nbsp; California is governed by the State Constitution Content provided by guest authors &#8211; By William J. Judge, JD. LL.M. &amp; Nick Hartman, Co-Founders of Drug Screening Compliance Institute (DSCI) \u201cAll people are, by nature, free and independent and have inalienable [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":54799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"50930,50870,50862,50901,51535,50858","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[84,47,81],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54797"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54797"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119315,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54797\/revisions\/119315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationaldrugscreening.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}