With injunction lifted, Cannabis dispensaries look to hire workers
Omar Price has been in limbo since August, when a legal injunction kept him from opening his state-licensed recreational cannabis dispensary.
Not knowing when he would be able to move forward and open his shop has made it impossible to hire workers, even though there are a few he has his eye on.
The Office of Cannabis Management's Cannabis Control Board on Monday voted to approve a resolution to settle a lawsuit brought by service-disabled military veterans and a coalition of medical cannabis dispensaries referred to as ROs, who say they were improperly kept from obtaining dispensary licenses.
“It has been one of the things that have been an obstacle or something that’s weighing on how we move forward,” he said.
Now that the injunction has been lifted and Price is hoping to open his shop 82-J by the end of the month, his next step after building out the dispensary at 1673 Hertel Ave. will be to hire staff.
“We have identified a couple of individuals that we believe will be a great asset because of their their current knowledge of cannabis, and hopefully, they’re still around when we’re ready to move forward.”
The shop is going to be highly customer service focused. Price said there are plenty of people who would like to work as budtenders, and many of them have experience with the product, but he is looking for cannabis connoisseurs.
“Like a wine enthusiast, that’s what we’re looking for. I think that’s the best comparison,” he said.
Price and his partners will train workers in both cannabis and customer service, but he is also searching for the kind of people that bring to the table a certain passion for the product that can’t be taught.
“There’s a large pool of smokers and folks who are indulging and enjoy it, but then there’s that small segment that are really trying to dissect the product,” he said. “Smelling it, smoking it, understanding what impact it’s having on the body. They can tell the weed’s good or bad by looking at it or smelling the smoke.”
Dispensary owners are willing to pay for that expertise.
Sheldon Anderson, who is opening Public Flower at 232 Allen St., will pay workers between $18 and $25 per hour, based on experience and qualifications.
“We definitely want to get as close to that living wage as possible,” Anderson said.
He has worked with a staffing agency and believes he’ll be able to lure restaurant and bar workers into the cannabis industry.
“If you work in a bar, you may not like that environment,” Anderson said.
Workers looking to get out of the bar and restaurant industry may be attracted by the hours, pay and atmosphere of a dispensary, he said. And customers do tip, he said.
The rollout of adult-use retail cannabis stores has been halted not once but twice by legal injunctions caused by lawsuits against the Office of Cannabis Management
“The people coming in are in a sober mindset. You’re not dealing with unruly customers,” he said. “It’s not loud, it’s not messy.”
Aaron Van Camp, the owner of Western New York’s first legal dispensary Dank on Main Street, said it has been “very easy” to find and retain workers.
He employs 15 family and friends and pays $23 to $30 per hour plus tips and samples.
“We really bought into the intentions of the program and made sure we were putting people in position to make a sustainable living wage,” Van Camp said.
Humboldt Parkway staffing agency Staff Buffalo started CannaWorkforce Solutions to match cannabis employers with those seeking to work in the cannabis industry.
Point of sales Destiny Pacheco prepares to serve customers at the cannabis dispensary Dank.
Joseph Cooke/Buffalo News
“The entire process has been a roller coaster for everyone, but it’s a relief that things are finally moving forward for everyone involved,” said Sheri Courteau, talent acquisition specialist at CannaWorkforce Solutions.
Dispensary owners have been in a holding pattern since August, when a group of service-disabled veterans and medical marijuana companies sued the state’s Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary program, saying it unconstitutionally prevented them from receiving a dispensary license.
Before the injunction was lifted this month, it prevented the Office of Cannabis Management from communicating with CAURD licensees, processing paperwork or giving dispensaries the OK to open.
Licensees have had to be patient, Courteau said.
“Organizing a workforce during uncertain times has proven to be a real challenge. Business owners have been unsure of when and how to start hiring due to the lack of clarity regarding future dates and timelines,” she said. “Companies have been in a frustrating wait-and-see approach for quite some time.”
Now that the ban has been lifted, there are new challenges.
“There is a general sense of overwhelm at the moment,” Courteau said. “Now that the ban is lifted, people are starting to scramble, while it seems that everyone is rushing towards the finish line.”
There is a big pool of candidates to choose from, many who have legacy experience with cannabis and want to work in the space legally.
“As the industry continues to open up, business owners may be sifting through hundreds of candidates and résumés for a posted position,” Courteau said.
