On November 8, 2016, Maine voters approved “Question 1 – An Act to Legalize Marijuana” (“the Act”), which allows for, among other things, the recreational use of marijuana. The Act contains within it an anti-discrimination in employment provision, which is effective today, February 1, 2018, making it the first law of its kind in the nation because it protects employees and applicants from adverse employment action based on their use of off-duty and off-site marijuana.
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Smoking Out the Tristate Area: Employer Concerns with Local Medical Marijuana Laws
By Gina Merrill & Samuel Sverdlov on
In the stoner-classic, “Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie,” Cheech Marin laments: “I’m gonna be late for work again. That’s the fifth time this week, and it’s only Tuesday, man.” While Cheech’s calculations remain a mystery, the prospect of employees coming to work while under the influence of marijuana presents a concerning picture for employers. In an era where medical marijuana is legal in certain circumstances under the state laws of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut – and with Vermont on the verge of making marijuana entirely legal – it is critical for employers to educate themselves on their rights and obligations with regard to these laws. This article provides employers in the tristate area with practical guidance on the medical marijuana laws of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Continue Reading Smoking Out the Tristate Area: Employer Concerns with Local Medical Marijuana Laws
Legalizing Marijuana – Off-Duty Use – An Employer’s Quandary
More and more cities and states are legalizing the use of marijuana for medical and recreational use. The good news is that means in those jurisdictions the local and state police will not arrest you if your use conforms to the local/state law-medical use states require a prescription and recreational use laws usually limit the amount of marijuana one can possess. In addition, federal prosecutors, at least under the current administration, will not prosecute you for use which is legal under state and local laws.
Now the bad news. Marijuana use is still illegal under federal law, 21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq., since it is listed as a schedule 1 controlled substance. That means its use is not protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., (“ADA”) because the ADA does not protect the current use of an illegal drug. Moreover, most employees are at-will employees, so they can be fired for good cause, bad cause, or no cause. Thus, if an employer wants to fire employees who use marijuana away from work, it is likely that the employer can legally do so.
Continue Reading Legalizing Marijuana – Off-Duty Use – An Employer’s Quandary