A: No! There are strong regulations already in place that prohibit any worker from being impaired at work. Employers are required to remove impaired workers from the worksite.
A: When marijuana is legalized, update your program so marijuana, including edibles, is treated the same as alcohol. For example, many policies prohibit the use, possession and transportation of alcohol on the worksite and it should be the same for marijuana. Also, like alcohol, workers should not be allowed to report for duty when “hungover” from marijuana use.
A: No. Based on the known effect of marijuana and its ability to impair, workers in Safety Sensitive positions should not be using marijuana, in any form, while at work. A recent arbitration concluded that daily, off duty, use of medical marijuana rendered the worker unfit for safety sensitive work. While this decision is not binding law, it does provide guidance on the matter.
A: No, the employer has a duty to investigate the reasons for the impairment first. If the impairment is due to a medical condition, including an addiction, the worker has to be accommodated under Human Rights legislation. The employer will need to consult with outside experts to determine how to get that employee back to work without being impaired which will almost always include some form of rehabilitation. If the worker refuses to participate in the process he or she can be terminated.
A: There is no legal requirement to do this but testing provides proof as to whether or not the worker has used alcohol or drugs and is therefore a useful tool. Testing must be done to a high standard to produce reliable test results that are useful for investigations. Only lab based testing protocols should be relied upon when determining the presence of drugs and only evidential grade breath alcohol units (Breathalyzers) should be relied upon for determining the level of alcohol in a worker’s system.
A: If you don’t already have a solid drug and alcohol policy in place that includes marijuana, consult an expert and create one. You may also use the free resources listed below and consult your industry associations for support. Then, make sure everyone knows and understands the policy and procedures, especially supervisors. Focus on assessing your employees and making sure they are meeting those expectations. If an employee appears impaired at work, investigate and work with them and outside experts, if necessary, to fix the problem.
| File attachments |
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| aom_june_2018.pdf |
