Medical & Recreational Marijuana – Impact on the Workplace

Recently, the Department of Justice has made moves that indicate its intent to enforce federal law in jurisdictions where marijuana has been legalized. Traditionally, many employers have had one-size-fits-all policies that have zero tolerance for any use of marijuana. Considering the wide variety of state laws and recent court cases, employers need to evaluate their policies regarding the use of medical marijuana outside of the workplace, as well as any state laws that may apply.

• The intersection between Federal & State laws: Illegal Substance vs. Disability Discrimination
• Department of Justice's memo on federal marijuana enforcement policy
• The Federal Controlled Substances Act
• Impact of zero-tolerance policies in the workplace
• What should your company's drug policy look like?
• Trump Administration steps that could threaten the marijuana legalization movement
• The current state of the laws
• Evaluating your organization's policies regarding the use of medical marijuana
• Medical marijuana and the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Medical marijuana and the Family and Medical Leave Act
• Marijuana and Workers' Compensation
• Choosing to accommodate marijuana use

Support for the legalization of marijuana has grown exponentially over recent years. Consequently, many states have legalized medical and/or recreational use of marijuana. Yet, marijuana remains illegal under federal law. The conflicting intersection between state and federal law has made it challenging for employers to carry out their legal obligations. Now, more than ever, it is crucial for employers to be vigilant about this developing area of the law to navigate various employment issues carefully.

• Senior leadership
• Human Resource managers, generalists, and representatives
• Managers and supervisors
• Compliance professionals

Diane L. Dee, President and Founder of Advantage HR Consulting, LLC is a senior Human Resources professional with over 25 years of experience in the HR arena. Diane’s background includes experience in HR consulting, training, and administration in corporate, government, consulting, and pro bono environments.

Diane founded Advantage HR Consulting in early 2016. Under Diane’s leadership, Advantage HR Consulting provides comprehensive, cost-effective Human Resources solutions for small to mid-sized public and private firms in the greater Chicagoland area.  Diane also develops and conducts webinars on a wide variety of HR compliance and administrative topics for various training firms across the country.   Additionally, Diane is the author of multiple white papers addressing various HR compliance topics.

Diane holds a Master's Certificate in Human Resources from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and has attained SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications. Diane is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Diane performs pro bono work through the Taproot Foundation assisting non-profit clients by integrating their Human Resources goals with their corporate strategies.