Establishes protection from adverse employment action for authorized medical cannabis patients.

This New Jersey bill (A 1642) protects registered medical cannabis patients from employment discrimination. It prohibits employers from taking adverse actions (like firing, refusing to hire, or changing pay) based solely on an employee’s medical cannabis use or positive drug test, unless the employer proves the use impaired job performance. Employees with a valid medical cannabis card can explain a positive test by providing a doctor’s recommendation or card within three business days, and may request a retest at their own expense. The law does not override federal restrictions, allowing employers to still enforce rules against intoxicating substances during work hours or if federal funding is at risk.