The City of Syracuse is investigating its hiring practices after officials discovered a Department of Public Works employee accused of new child sex crimes had been employed despite being listed as a high-risk (Level 3) registered sex offender. City leaders said…
Posts by Category: Public Safety Hiring
A Dual Framework Emerges: Marijuana’s Schedule III Reclassification and the Road Ahead for Employers
The DOJ’s 2026 decision to move certain medical marijuana products to Schedule III has created a “dual framework” under federal law. While the change recognizes accepted medical uses for some cannabis products, recreational marijuana remains federally illegal….
Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Law Update: Expanded Employer Authority and New Limits on Safety Sensitive Positions
Oklahoma’s 2026 amendments require employers to enforce zero‑tolerance drug and alcohol standards for all workers in safety‑sensitive positions, now defined strictly by listed job duties rather than employer judgment. Core protections for licensed medical‑marijuana…
New Jersey: Court Rules Police Officers Can’t Be Fired for Off-Duty Cannabis Use
Police officers’ off-duty use of cannabis is not grounds for termination, according to a decision issued by the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. Representatives from the Jersey City Police Department sought to uphold an officer’s firing,…
Gov. JB Pritzker Signs Sonya Massey Act, Reforming Police Hiring in Illinois
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker approved the Sonya Massey Act following the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey by a sheriff’sdeputy in July 2024. It mandates exhaustive background checks—including prior employment records, psychologicalevaluations, fitness-for-duty reports, and…





