Kansas City Attorney Urges Employers to Review Drug Policies in Reaction to Legalization of Marijuana

In interviews with the Kansas City Business Journal and HR Executive, Lauren Sobaski shares her employment law insights on the legalization of marijuana and urges employers to review their drug policies. She explains that drug testing for marijuana is still allowed, but employers need to be more cautious when it comes to making employment-related decisions based upon an employee’s positive drug test after lawful consumption off the employer’s premises during off-work hours.

Lauren explains to the Kansas City Business Journal that the Missouri legislation added employment-related protections for medicinal marijuana users, but there are still exceptions to that rule. "If you’re one of those types of businesses where people testing positive for marijuana would directly impact your business, then you would be exempted from the provisions in the law," she said.

And, in her conversation with HR Executive, Lauren explains that employers will have to continue to rely upon the tangible evidence of impairment to address marijuana use in the workplace until testing technology catches up with the new wave of legislation. And, until that happens, she adds, “it will be even more important for employers to train managers and supervisors to spot the signs of marijuana impairment, just like they have been trained to objectively identify the signs of alcohol impairment at work.”

To read the articles visit the Kansas City Business Journal (subscription required) and HR Executive.