While the legalization of recreational cannabis is just around the corner, for the many companies that produce cannabis in Canada, the road to legalization began many months, and in some case years ago. Over the past few years, we have seen significant growth in the cannabis industry and this has naturally resulted in more cannabis-related jobs. A recent Globe and Mail article notes that employers had a 50% jump in cannabis-related job postings between April and early May of this year.

While there has been much discussion regarding cannabis in the workplace and its effect on health and safety, little attention has been given to the circumstances of the employees who actually work in the cannabis industry. This article explores the employment standards considerations that apply specifically to employees working in the cannabis industry.