A new reality is taking over. Medical marijuana is now legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, and recreational marijuana is legal in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The marijuana wave is here to stay. For employers operating in any of these states, the chances are high that at least some […]
workplace
Arbitrator Reinstates Oregon County Employee Fired For Medical Marijuana Use
In a rare ruling, an arbitrator has found that an Oregon county government erred in firing an employee for his off-duty use of medical marijuana late last year. Michael Hirsch, a 60-year-old prostate cancer survivor, will be reinstated to his job as a senior programmer and systems analyst for Lane County next week and given […]
Ohio Staffing Company Says It Won’t Allow Employees to Use Medical Marijuana
A Dayton company will not allow its employees to use medical marijuana even though it will soon be legal in our state. BarryStaff, a business that recruits workers for manufacturing companies announced on Monday it won’t be changing its drug and alcohol policy and that employees and future hires who test positive for pot will […]
Willie Nelson Is Looking For a Handful of Good People For His New Marijuana Company
If you’ve ever dreamt of saying the words, “I just applied for Willie Nelson’s weed company,” your dreams are about to become a reality. Willie Nelson is hiring new employees for Willie’s Reserve, his “premium cannabis lifestyle brand” that features his own special, hand-picked brand of pot. The official website says the purpose of the company is […]
Employers Urged to Put in Place Drug Policies For Legal Marijuana
Employers, including small businesses, should put in place employee drug policies to deal with legalized marijuana. Employee drug use, which includes marijuana, costs businesses more than $129 billion a year in lost revenue, and can cost a small business up to $7,000 a month in lost productivity, according to Jo McGuire, director of compliance and […]
Nevada Supreme Court Sides with Casino Worker Fired for Using Medical Marijuana
The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled a Las Vegas casino worker is entitled to collect unemployment benefits after being fired for testing positive for marijuana. The justices said the downtown Las Vegas Club — which was shuttered last summer — failed to present its drug and alcohol policy to the court to show the worker […]
Ohio Employers’ Ability to Fire Medical Marijuana Users Irks Some Legislators
The Ohio House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a medical marijuana bill and the next morning, a Quinnipiac University poll showed 9 in 10 Ohioans support marijuana as medicine. Marijuana has momentum, and the House addressed some of the issues legislators have had with legalization, including whether medical marijuana could be smoked (no) and […]
4 Things Employers Should Know About Marijuana and the Workplace
With marijuana now slowly being legalized in more states, employers should now become aware of their rights and obligations about marijuana in the workplace. Here are four things they need to bear in mind 1 — Employers have the option to implement drug-free workplace policies. In most states where recreational or medical marijuana has been […]
4 Things Employers Should Know About Marijuana and the Workplace
With marijuana now slowly being legalized in more states, employers should now become aware of their rights and obligations about marijuana in the workplace. Here are four things they need to bear in mind: 1 — Employers have the option to implement drug-free workplace policies. In most states where recreational or medical marijuana has been […]
How Pennsylvania Employers Deal With Workers Using Medical Marijuana
The Pennsylvania House and Senate have been abuzz in the last few weeks with SB3, the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act, which was signed into law. Why is the Medical Marijuana Act important to Pennsylvania employers and employment law attorneys? Because employees have protections under this act in the workplace, and the law specifically sets forth […]