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Medical Marijuana Decriminalization of Marijuana Anti-Discrimination Policies

Medical Marijuana refers to the use of marijuana to treat or alleviate symptoms of certain illnesses. A growing number of states permit individuals to use marijuana on the recommendation of a physician. Despite... more +
Medical Marijuana refers to the use of marijuana to treat or alleviate symptoms of certain illnesses. A growing number of states permit individuals to use marijuana on the recommendation of a physician. Despite state laws to the contrary, Federal law still prohibits the use or possession of marijuana. The conflict between state and federal law on this issue has created interesting enforcement issues and significant legal hurdles for medical marijuana providers.  less -
Littler

Washington Amends Law to Protect Off-Duty Marijuana Use in 2024

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On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, Governor Inslee signed into law Senate Bill No. 5123, which will protect prospective employees from discrimination in hiring due to their lawful, off-duty use of marijuana. With this law, Washington...more

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

New York State Department of Labor Issues Guidance on Cannabis and the Workplace

On October 8, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) issued a frequently asked questions document (FAQ) offering guidance for the workplace related to the state’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). MRTA,...more

Fisher Phillips

What New York State Employers Need To Know About Cannabis Legalization

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Recreational use of cannabis or marijuana is now legal in New York State. On March 31, Governor Cuomo signed into law the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act. The legalization of cannabis will have significant short and...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Marijuana Ballot Initiatives Approved in Five States: What This Budding Trend Means for Employers

On November 3, 2020, five states had initiatives on the ballot to legalize the recreational and/or medical use of marijuana, and all five initiatives easily passed. Arizona, Montana, and New Jersey voted in favor of...more

Littler

Utah State Legislature Clarifies: Private Employers Not Required to Accommodate Use of Medical Cannabis; Public Employers Held to...

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Utah’s medical cannabis program officially launched this month, and the Utah State Legislature timely enacted Senate Bill 121, which amends and clarifies various provisions of Utah’s medical cannabis laws, including a...more

Epstein Becker & Green

New Regulations Emphasize Discounts to Delaware Employers with Drug-Free Workplace Programs

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Delaware is reminding its employers that a safe, drug-free workplace can pay. On February 1, the state’s Department of Insurance (the “Department”) amended its regulations to emphasize the availability of workers’...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

Zero Tolerance for Zero Tolerance Marijuana Policies?

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Employers are undoubtedly aware of the ever-changing landscape of marijuana laws across the country. Complicating matters for larger employers is that these evolving statutes are creatures of state law with little uniformity...more

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC

Medical Marijuana Musings (Two Years Later)

Two years ago, the first medical marijuana dispensary opened in Pennsylvania. Since that time, well over a hundred thousand Pennsylvania residents have become certified to use medical marijuana, additional conditions were...more

Rumberger | Kirk

Medical Marijuana Employee Protection Act: What the Future Could Hold for Florida

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With the passing of the 2016 constitutional amendment and the Legislature’s enacting of statutes implementing the voters’ will, hundreds of thousands of Floridians have become lawful medical marijuana users. Originally...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Colorado Representative Introduces Bill to Expand State’s Lawful Activities Law to Include Cannabis

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On January 10, 2020, Colorado Representative Jovan Melton (D) introduced House Bill 20-1089, which proposes to clarify that the existing prohibition on an employer terminating an employee for the employee’s lawful off-duty...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act at Issue in Recently Filed Complaint

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In 2016, Pennsylvania enacted its “Medical Marijuana Act” (MMA), which permits individuals suffering from certain conditions to use marijuana for medicinal use. Several provisions in the MMA impact employers. For instance,...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Illinois Amends Recreational Cannabis Law To Protect Drug Testing By Employers

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Earlier this month, Governor Pritzker signed into law SB 1557, revising the Recreational Cannabis Law to expand permissible marijuana testing and related adverse action....more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Florida Senator Introduces Bill Providing Broad Employment Protections to Medical Marijuana Users

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On November 18, 2019, Florida Senator Lori Berman (D) introduced Senate Bill 962, which proposes to provide job applicants and employees who use medical marijuana various protections in employment....more

FordHarrison

Recent Progression in the Legalization of Marijuana has left Employers Dazed and Confused

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In the last year, a record number of states have amended or enacted laws which regulate marijuana testing, accommodations, and use. Among these states, at least two states have specifically banned pre-employment testing of...more

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC

New Jersey Expands its Medical Cannabis Act to Include Workplace Protections

Prior to July 2nd, New Jersey’s Medical Cannabis Act lacked protections for employees’ off-duty medical marijuana use.  Indeed, last year the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey held that nothing in the Medical...more

Burns & Levinson LLP

Supplementing the Pink Slip for a Green Stamp of Approval – Rising Trends of New Employment Protections for Registered Cannabis...

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Early this month, New Jersey enacted new workplace protections for authorized medical cannabis users - Under the new regulations, employers are prohibited from taking an adverse employment action against an existing or...more

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC

And the “Hits” Just Keep on Coming . . . Updates in the World of Medical Marijuana and the Workplace

What’s new in the world of medical marijuana, as it impacts your workplace? Quite a bit, actually. Here is the rundown. PA Medical Marijuana Act – Anxiety and Tourette’s Syndrome Added to List of Serious Medical...more

Littler

Nevada Applicants and New Employees with Positive Marijuana Test Results Will Receive Legal Protections

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Beginning January 1, 2020, new legislation in Nevada will require employers to think carefully about whether and which applicants should be tested for marijuana.  Under A.B. 132, employers are generally prohibited from...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Courts Are Siding with Employees Who Use Medical Marijuana

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Marijuana, a Schedule 1 drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), is the most commonly detected illicit drug in employment drug testing. According to Quest Diagnostics, in 2018, approximately 3% of urine-based...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Nevada Becomes the First State to Restrict Employer Use of Pre-Employment Cannabis Tests

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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

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Occupations Governed By Federal Regulation Remain Guarded Against State Medical Marijuana Non-Discrimination Laws

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A growing number of states have passed anti-discrimination laws pertaining to medical marijuana use. While medical marijuana is becoming widely legalized under state law, marijuana and its most identifiable active chemical,...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

New Mexico Just Became Employee-Friendly to Medical Marijuana Users

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Seyfarth Synopsis: Given this recent New Mexico medical marijuana law change discussed here, employers in all jurisdictions should review their current policies and practices addressing “weed at work” and continue to monitor...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been: Is Medical Marijuana Coming to Alabama?

On March 20, 2019, House Bill 243 (HB243) was introduced in the Alabama House of Representatives. HB243, a bipartisan bill with extensive support from both the majority and minority leaders, would create the Compassion,...more

K&L Gates LLP

K&L Gates Triage: A Discussion of Labor and Employment Issues in the Health Care Industry

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In this episode, Richard Church and Spencer Hamer discuss key takeaways for the health care industry upon certain developments in labor and employment law over the past year. Specifically, this episode provides an overview of...more

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC

Medical Marijuana Update – Delaware Court expands protections for employees’ off-duty use of medical marijuana

At the end of 2018, the Superior Court of Delaware held that a terminated employee could proceed with his lawsuit, alleging that his employer terminated him for being a medical marijuana cardholder....more

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