North Dakota receives workplace certification and lifts TikTok ban

North Dakota has achieved national certification as a Recovery Friendly Workplace from the National Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute. Governor Kelly Armstrong announced that North Dakota is only the second state government to receive this designation, joining Minnesota.

The certification recognizes state government programs and policies designed to support individuals in recovery and reduce the stigma of addiction within the workforce. Jonathan Holth, the state Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, noted that the achievement follows years of work by agency leaders and human resource teams to implement supportive workforce policies.

In a separate administrative move, Governor Armstrong issued an executive order rescinding a 2022 ban on TikTok for state-owned devices. The previous ban, implemented by former Governor Doug Burgum, cited national security concerns regarding ByteDance. The decision to lift the restriction follows the establishment of a US-led consortium for the app's ownership. State agencies may now request access to TikTok through the standard North Dakota Information Technology review process, provided they meet security requirements.