Robert Hardin-Leeth, Director of Safety at Nationwide, and Jim Tallaksen, Vice President, Labor & Employee Relations at Stanley Black & Decker, were featured on the call. The call was moderated by HR Policy Vice President of Health & Employment Policy Mark Wilson. Providing legal analysis was HR Policy Senior Labor and Employment Counsel Roger King.
Among the issues discussed:
- Whether companies set their policies to be compliant with federal law where state or local laws are more liberal in their treatment of marijuana use by workers;
- Whether drug testing policies should be adjusted depending on safety sensitive positions and, in some cases, geography;
- Responses to a bill expected to be signed by Mayor Bill De Blasio banning testing for marijuana use in New York City; and
- How managers can assess whether an employee may be impaired where drug use is otherwise legal.
Looking ahead: The issue of drug testing is only expected to increase in prominence as state and local governing bodies continue to be active in this area.
