A total of 23 states and the District of Columbia have laws in place legalizing the use of marijuana in one form or another. It is currently legal for adults to engage in recreational marijuana use in Alaska, Colorado, Washington — and as of July 1, Oregon. Additionally, a measure was approved in February allowing people in Washington, D.C. to legally possess small amounts of the drug.
It’s probably safe to say that more states will approve recreational use of the drug in the future, so if it’s not already legalized in your area, it’s still wise to begin drafting a marijuana policy for your company. You’ll need to set ground rules for your employees stating whether or not it’s acceptable for them to partake in the use of this drug during their free time and if not, what the consequences will be.
3 Tips for Building a Marijuana Policy at Your Company
Busy drafting your very first marijuana policy? Make sure to cover all the bases, including:
- Decide If You’ll Drug Test: A key part of your marijuana policy is deciding if you’ll drug test and when you’ll do it. You can conduct random drug testing on all employees or opt to only test those under suspicion of using marijuana. It’s important to make this decision in advance, so you can communicate it to employees.
- Know the Laws: Every state has different laws regarding marijuana usage, so you’ll need to familiarize yourself with those applicable to your company. If you have offices in more than one state, certain activity may be legal for employees in one branch, but not another. You don’t want to risk a wrongful termination lawsuit, so be sure you know what you can fire employees for and what is fair game.
- Ensure Your Policies Match Business Goals: Create policies that align with your company culture and business needs. If you don’t care what your employees do in their free time, as long as they come into the offer sober and ready to work hard, you may not want to bother with random drug testing. Not only is this practice expensive, it can also alienate part of the workforce.
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