Marijuana in the workplace: Are you prepared for the coming storm?

Because state laws vary widely and change frequently, employers may hesitate to take adverse action against employees simply because of a positive marijuana test. (Photo: Bloomberg)

The year was 2019. B.C. (Before COVID). I was attending a local HR networking/professional development association meeting. The group included 100 HR practitioners, consultants and vendors from companies of all sizes and industries, both public and private. The facilitated program was a town hall discussion between seasoned professionals around pressing HR topics.

One attendee shared an interesting story about worker’s compensation. Another raised a question about corporate ethics that led to a lively discussion about conflict of interest. And then it came…a question that instantly shifted the mood. “I work for a multi-state employer. We have offices in four states and Puerto Rico. We have a problem with employees using marijuana. A couple are using it for medical reasons, but others use it when they’re not at work for recreational purposes. How are you guys handling things like this?”