Medical Marijuana in the Workplace: What You Need to Know
As the marijuana legalization date inches closer, many people are wondering how this drug will affect different parts of society, and, particularly, how it will affect the workforce. Employers want to know the best way to manage this at work while employees using this medication want to ensure it won’t impact their jobs.
Here’s what you need to know about medical marijuana at work, regardless of the side you’re on.
Employers Have a Duty to Accommodate
All employers have a duty to accommodate a disability up to the point of undue hardship—this is a duty enforced by human rights legislation. Employers are required to go through a full assessment with the employee who has the disability to determine possible workplace restrictions and modifications to ensure that person can work in a safe manner.
Employers are responsible for ensuring their staff can still perform at work. This
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Employers aren’t supposed to discriminate against employees taking medical cannabis. An employer has a duty to accommodate employees using medical marijuana the same way they accommodate any other employee taking any other medication.
It’s about Balancing Health and Safety
This duty doesn’t let employees off the hook. They can’t use this medication as an excuse to be impaired at work; they’re not entitled to smoke it freely in the workplace; and it doesn’t give them the right to unexcused absences. This is an impairment drug, and both sides have an obligation to each other that allows everyone to work safely and effectively.
Safety-sensitive positions, such as forklift drivers and truck drivers, will be scrutinized more significantly because impairment affects safety. The employer may need to revisit and modify their workplace policies. Employers are taking every reasonable precaution to create a safe work environment, and employees have a duty to meet those safety