California New Marijuana Law: How Does It Impact Employers?

Marijuana has been legalized in at least 28 states and the District of Columbia either for medicinal purposes or recreational use. What does this mean for employers? Employers should be aware that marijuana has a variety of impairment effects, including reduced reaction times, irritability, loss of focus, lethargy, disengagement with reality and poor decision making. Through this webinar, the challenges of cannabis in the workplace and the potential impact it will have on employers and employees will be discussed. Employers will be educated on the effects of marijuana on one’s duty to perform safety sensitive roles and the legal do’s and don’ts of marijuana in the workplace, including the implementation of testing programs; the legal accommodation of medical marijuana in the workplace and best practices for the implementation of workplace drug policies and programs.

The key learning objective is to clarify the difference between federal and state laws related to marijuana and cannabis use in the workplace. 

• Understanding Current Laws
• Knowing how Cannabis Affects Employees
• Understanding How Cannabis Use Affects Employers In Terms of Costs, Productivity and Safety
• Knowing and Understanding an Employer’s Duties and Responsibilities Regarding Marijuana Use
• Crafting Balanced and Effective Policies
• Issues Related To Drug Testing

• The impact of marijuana on workplace safety
• What is CANNABIS?
• Medical ‘Indications’ for marijuana
• What are safety sensitive jobs?
• Best practices for alcohol and drug testing in the workplace
• Balancing legalities of workplace safety versus medical needs
• Legal considerations for alcohol and drug policies/programs

Sixty-eight percent of Americans live in states that have reformed their marijuana laws by allowing medical marijuana, imposing a fine — not possible jail time — on marijuana possession, or making marijuana legally available and regulated for adults’ use.

With polls showing that a majority of Americans support making marijuana use legal, and with 86% support for allowing medical marijuana, lawmakers are increasingly realizing the public supports marijuana policy reforms. Bills have been filed in 33 states to rethink failed marijuana policies.

Attend the session to know :

• Can employers prohibit marijuana use during work hours?
• Can employers prohibit marijuana use even with a medical prescription?
• Can employers continue to test for marijuana?
• How does the law affect CDL holders?
• Can employers continue to test for marijuana?
• What about off-duty marijuana consumption?
• Can I still be drug tested now that marijuana is legal?

• Business Owners
• Department Supervisors & Managers
• Human Resource Personnel
• Health & Safety Personnel

Melvin K. Patterson, an attorney licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in California, is General Counsel to the Cedrus Group, a family of international financial services firms with offices around the globe. He is a member of the Labor & Employment Section of the California State Bar and has been admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California as well as the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. Mr. Patterson is experienced in Labor and Employment litigation and transactional matters in the U.S., Asia and the U.K. He has designed internal business policies, procedures and management structures, as well as inter-corporate relationships and has been a business owner himself. Mr. Patterson is an experienced trial litigator who has handled numerous business and commercial matters for over 20 years on behalf of an elite clientele around the world. He has defended clients in matters brought against companies by employees, commercial business agreements and government regulatory matters. Mr. Patterson holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the John F. Kennedy University School of Law, as well as a Certificate in Strategic Human Resource Management from Cornell University. He has also earned the American Jurisprudence Award, completed specialized training in Assessing Economic Damages, Forensic Discovery and Preservation of Electronic Evidence and Data. Mr. Patterson was nominated to the National Dean's List and has been a speaker before such groups as the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, is a past contributing editor to California Motions In Limine (The Rutter Group) and has been a columnist for the "The Docket", the news and information journal of the San Mateo County Bar Ass'n. He has a knowledge of Korean, Japanese and Spanish languages.