Since 2014, Minnesota has provided applicants and employees with protections if they lawfully use cannabis for medicinal purposes. Starting August 1, 2023, Minnesota will provide protections to individuals who use cannabis...more
On May 25, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey granted an employer’s motion to dismiss a putative class action in Zanetich v. Wal-Mart Stores E., Inc. Addressing an issue of first impression, the...more
6/6/2023
/ Cannabis Products ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Marijuana ,
New Jersey ,
Recreational Use ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
In the last two years, more jurisdictions have passed laws providing employment protections to applicants and employees using cannabis on their free time, including in New York, Washington, DC, and California. Recently,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 25, 2022, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed “The Rhode Island Cannabis Act,” which grants adults aged 21 and older the right to possess and grow certain amounts of cannabis for recreational...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Every year, employers find themselves revisiting their marijuana and drug testing policies to account for newly enacted laws at the state and local level. Now is no different. Below are some highlights of...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In the first six months of 2021, several states legalized marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes, including New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and New Mexico. States show no signs of slowing down. ...more
Following closely on the heels of both New York and New Jersey enacting recreational cannabis laws, New Mexico and Virginia have enacted their own laws allowing adults to use cannabis for recreational purposes. Virginia went...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: New York has become the latest state to enact a law protecting the use of personal nonmedical cannabis for individuals age 21 and over. As one of the nation’s largest cannabis markets, New York will...more
Recognizing that state medical and recreational marijuana laws are sweeping the nation, and that a recent survey reflected that nearly half of surveyed American adults have used marijuana, the Acting Director of the U.S....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: New Jersey recently enacted a law permitting personal, nonmedical use of marijuana for individuals age 21 and over. Separate laws decriminalize marijuana and hashish possession and set out the penalties...more
Employers considering a tolerant attitude towards recreational cannabis in the workplace should consider safety hazards and legal liabilities. ...more
1/22/2020
/ Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
General Duty Clause ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
OSHA ,
Recreational Use ,
Safety Standards ,
Workplace Safety ,
Zero Tolerance Policies
The Illinois General Assembly passed SB 1557, revising the language of the Recreational Cannabis Law to reduce but not eliminate employer liabilities.
...more
11/22/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Pending Legislation ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the new recreational cannabis bill, which contains extensive provisions regarding the extent of an employer’s right to ban and otherwise discipline employees for...more
6/28/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Labor Regulations ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
New Legislation ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recreational Use ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: The federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently announced that drugs that include CBD (cannabidiol) with less than 0.1% of THC (tetrahydrocannabinols) are now considered Schedule V drugs provided they...more
6/27/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Dietary Supplements ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Off-Duty Employees ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Oversight
Seyfarth Synopsis: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign a new recreational cannabis bill, which contains extensive provisions regarding the extent of an employer’s right to ban and otherwise discipline...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Following closely on the heels of a similar law in New York City, effective January 1, 2020, it will be unlawful for Nevada employers to reject a job applicant who tests positive for cannabis on a...more
6/12/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recreational Use ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: In a simpler time, courts reviewing medical cannabis laws issued employer-friendly decisions, generally finding no duty to accommodate medical cannabis even when state laws allowed its use for medical...more
6/10/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Compassionate Use Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recreational Use ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws