(Arizona Republic) Zero tolerance of drug use is the workplace norm in Arizona, but the medical-marijuana law that takes effect next year will cloud what had been a clear-cut issue for workers and employers.
If a supervisor suspects that using marijuana for medical reasons affects the quality of an employee’s work, how should the supervisor respond?
If employees who were prescribed medical marijuana are injured in an accident on the job, are they eligible for workers’ compensation?
What happens if a legal user of marijuana fails a company’s drug test when applying for a job?
Stop. Every office I ever worked in had the “First Aid” kit, usually held by a receptionist or office manager, chock full of aspirin, Benadryl, Tylenol, Alka-Seltzers, and more. Then there are the employees using over-the-counter remedies and prescription drugs. Some places I’ve worked even accepted employees having a beer with a lunch then returning to work. Zero tolerance of drug use in the workplace is hardly the norm in any workplace in America.
The answer to all of those questions is to replace the word “marijuana” with “Vicodin”.
- If a supervisor suspects that using Vicodin for medical reasons affects the quality of an employee’s work, how should the supervisor respond?
- If employees who were prescribed medical Vicodin are injured in an accident on the job, are they eligible for workers’ compensation?
- What happens if a legal user of Vicodin fails a company’s drug test when applying for a job?
Doug Stegemoller, president of a Phoenix construction company, worries how the new law will impact worker safety.
“And if one (employee) would have a medical-marijuana prescription but is still able to work in the workforce, how would that affect the safety of our employees and the quality of our work?” said Stegemoller, president of E&K of Phoenix Inc.
Because of safety concerns, E&K requires that job candidates take drug tests. The company also uses random drug testing, and workers are tested for drugs after workplace accidents. Workers disclose what kind of prescriptions they use, he added.
So when they disclose their Vicodin prescription, what do you do, Mr. Stegemoller? Why should your treatment of medical marijuana patients be any different?
Here’s what the problem is: employers like to discriminate against marijuana users because they believe the reefer madness that a person who uses cannabis is morally suspect and physically dangerous. The problem with allowing medical marijuana users in the workplace is not that they are a safety risk to the other employees but that they are proof that alleged safety risks from marijuana users are ludicrous.
How do you explain to Bill you need to fire him on Wednesday because his random pee test picked up the joint he smoked last weekend, when his buddy Ted has a medical marijuana card and Bill knows Ted smokes marijuana every night? How do you justify the need to discriminate against the non-medical users who know Ted and admire his spotless safety record?
Loading ...
