In the famous words of Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are-a-Changin.”  Since 2012, 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, with 7 of those states taking action since 2016.  An additional 22 states have legalized cannabis for certain medical purposes.  More states are likely to join both groups.  Last year, Canada became only the second country in the world to legalize the possession and recreational use of marijuana at the federal level.

In a 2018 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 62% of Americans said the use of marijuana should be legalized – that’s double the share who supported legalization in 2000.  Despite this recent wave of legalization and increasing public support, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level in the United States.  As a result, marijuana occupies an in-between zone of legitimacy in most states; legal and illegal at the same time.

For employers, these rapid and significant changes to the legal status of marijuana have led to confusion and challenges.  Does legalization give employees the right to freely use cannabis in the workplace?  What about before shifts or during breaks?  Can employers take disciplinary action against an employee who is impaired at work?  How is impairment determined?  Can employers test for cannabis?  Is there a threshold for acceptable or “safe” cannabis consumption?  What accommodations, if any, are required for employees who use marijuana for medical purposes?  How should employers prepare for legalization?

Please join us for this important and timely webinar as we explore these and many other questions faced by employers who are striving to maintain productivity, ensure workplace safety, and protect workers’ rights in the wake of marijuana legalization laws.

Who should participate?

• Business leaders who establish organizational goals and compliance initiatives
• HR professionals who are responsible for preparing and/or administering workplace policies, or apprising business leaders of the developments impacting employees
• Supervisors who are responsible for managing employees and/or administering workplace programs

Program Outcomes

• Learn what the legalization of marijuana means for the workplace, including how it impacts organizational goals and day-to-day operations
• Learn what businesses need to consider to deal with the legalization of marijuana
• Learn about how other organizations are responding to the legalization of marijuana