Preemployment Screening and Testing: District of Columbia

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Authors: Stuart R. Buttrick and Tareen Zafrullah, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Summary

• Certain District of Columbia employers must test job applicants for drugs and alcohol prior to employment. See Drug and Alcohol Testing.
• Employers face restrictions, though, in testing prospective employees for marijuana use. See Marijuana Testing.
• The District of Columbia prohibits private employers from using lie detector tests as a condition of employment. See Polygraph Testing.
• Employers are limited in their use of arrest records as part of the preemployment screening process. See Arrest and Conviction Records.
• Most employers in the District are restricted from criminal history inquiries prior to making a conditional job offer. See Ban the Box.
• Some employers, however, are required to conduct background checks of all prospective employees, including schools, health care facilities and others. See Mandatory Background Checks.
• DC law prohibits employers from asking about an applicant's credit history in most situations. See Credit Checks.