Medical and Recreational Marijuana: Issues for the Workplace

ACEC/MA  Member Briefing 
The ACEC/MA Human Resources, Health and Safety, and Risk Management Forums present:
  
Medical and Recreational Marijuana: Issues for the Workplace
 
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
8 - 10 AM
@
VHB, 101 Walnut St, Watertown, MA
OR
Via ZOOM (RSVP to Monica Chapman below for Zoom details)

 
The ACEC/MA HR, Safety, and Risk Management Forums will be holding another joint session on Wednesday, June 19 from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM at VHB. Please join Debra Dyleski-Najjar, Esq. for this two-hour discussion where she will review issues that arise in the workplace relating to medical and recreational marijuana, as well as the recent removal of Cannabidiol (CBD) from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Discussion will include:

• Impact on Drug-Free Workplace, Zero Tolerance Policies and Drug Testing;
• Workplace protections for medical marijuana users under state law, including laws prohibiting discrimination, requiring accommodation of disabled workers, and protecting workers' privacy rights; 
• Difficulty is determining “impairment” and overview of recent medical studies regarding long and short-term impairment; and
• New England trends in workers' compensation coverage of medical marijuana for pain management.  

 While marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I substance under the federal CSA, the U.S. Department of Justice recently removed CBD from the CSA and approved a new drug containing CBD. This is developing and rapidly evolving area of the law. It will be important for employers to remain abreast of developments in their own states and to carefully review workplace policies, including drug testing programs.  
 
Debra Dyleski-Najjar, Esq. is president and founder of the Najjar Employment Law Group, P.C., and has been practicing law for over thirty-five (35) years. She is a frequent speaker at occupational health medical conferences on the legal issues relating to marijuana in the workplace and drug testing considerations.
 
RSVP to Monica Chapman  by Friday, June 14th if you plan to attend. Thank you. 
  
ACEC/MA HR Forum Co-Chairs: Maureen Wilkund, VHB, Lisa Dolan, Nitsch Engineering          
   
This briefing is open to employees of ACEC/MA Member Firms.    
If your firm is a member, you are a member.  
For information about ACEC/MA Membership or to join an ACEC/MA Committee or Forum, contact:  
Natalia Savatic 
Abbie Goodman  
   or by phone at 617-227-5551.