Title: Weed in the Workplace
Learner Objectives:
Legal marijuana presents employers with new challenges and the need to balance employee’s rights with legally recognized marijuana use with workplace safety, American’s with Disabilities Act, and other anti-discrimination statutes. There are direct implications on an employer’s hiring, firing, and drug testing policies. This is especially true in water treatment where a mobile sales force is regularly on the road and dealing with hazardous chemicals and complex chemistry.
Content/Topic Outline:
This program will educate the audience about the following:
1. The direct implications of legal marijuana on an employer's hiring, firing and drug testing policies.
2. Unique challenges presented by legal marijuana on workplace safety, the ADA and other various anti-discrimination statutes.
3. Strategies to navigate these challenges.
Presenter:
Karen Smith, a shareholder in the Houston office, has over 20 years of experience in employment law practice and general business litigation. Her employment law practice includes EEOC charge and claim investigations, defending against charges of state and federal discrimination violations, benefit-related matters, wage and hour disputes, and non-compete, non-solicitation and separation agreements. She has successfully consulted clients through employment related issues incident to legalized marijuana.
Adam Green, a shareholder in the Houston office, leads the Firm's Water Technology & Water Treatment Group. In addition to handling disputes relating to water handling systems and water borne pathogens, he also routinely advises chemical water treaters in all phases of business transactions. He has prepared, negotiated and litigated disputes between employer and employee including those involving chemical water treaters.
Presentation Description:
In 2017, the total combined sales of medical and recreational cannabis in the United States was nine billion dollars (up 50% from the same period in 2014 when marijuana was first legalized). More than 20% of the U.S. workforce lives in a state with legalized recreational marijuana. More than 64% live in a state with legalized medical marijuana. Legal marijuana presents employers with new challenges and the need to balance employee’s rights with legally recognized marijuana use with workplace safety, American’s with Disabilities Act, and other anti-discrimination statutes. This is especially true in water treatment where a mobile sales force is regularly on the road and dealing with hazardous chemicals and complex chemistry. There are direct implications on an employer’s hiring, firing, and drug testing policies that companies, large and small, need to know.
Presenter Bio:
Karen Smith, a shareholder in the Houston office, has over 20 years of experience in employment law practice and general business litigation. Her employment law practice includes EEOC charge and claim investigations, defending against charges of state and federal discrimination violations, benefit-related matters, wage and hour disputes, and non-compete, non-solicitation and separation agreements. She has successfully consulted clients through employment related issues incident to legalized marijuana.
Adam Green, a shareholder in the Houston office, leads the Firm's Water Technology & Water Treatment Group. In addition to handling disputes relating to water handling systems and water borne pathogens, he also routinely advises chemical water treaters in all phases of business transactions. He has prepared, negotiated and litigated disputes between employer and employee including those involving chemical water treaters.