Marijuana in the Workplace: Legalization and Medicinal Cannabis Sea to Sky Conference 2017 Matthew R. Letson August 9, 2017
MarijuanaintheWorkplace:LegalizationandMedicinalCannabis
SeatoSkyConference2017MatthewR.Letson
August9,2017
CANNABISACT– BillC-45
• Notyetpassed– Marijuanastillillegal
• Permitspossessionupto30gfor18yo+
• Ticketfor31g-50gwith$200fine
• Licensesvendorsandproducers
• Leavesmuchofimplementationtoprovinces
• NotawareofanyProvincethathasannouncedregulation
CANNABISACTDiscussionPaper
• Marijuana impairs a number of brain functions needed for safe driving such as coordination,judgement of distances, reaction time, and ability to pay attention. Marijuana is second to alcoholas the drug most frequently found among drivers involved in crashes and drivers charged withimpaired driving, and among seriously injured drivers. Marijuana and alcohol are also among themost frequently occurring alcohol-drug combinations.
• In contrast to alcohol, there is currently no roadside "breathalyzer"-type test to detectimpairment with marijuana. However, roadside oral fluid tests are being used in otherjurisdictions that can detect the presence of marijuana in oral fluid which can besuggestive of recent use. This is an active area of Canadian and international research.
Toward the Legalization, Regulation and Restriction of Access to Marijuana - DiscussionPaperhttp://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-system-systeme-sante/consultations/legalization-marijuana-legalisation/public-safety-protection-securite-public-eng.php
CANNABISACT– TaskForce
June2016– FederalGov’tappointed9membertaskforce• TaskForceonCannabisLegalizationandRegulation• ChairAnneMcLellan(formerJusticeMinister)• FinalReportNovember2016
http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/task-force-marijuana-groupe-etude/framework-cadre/index-eng.php• Approach:“apublichealthapproachtoreduceharmandpromotehealth”
• TaskForcedealtwithmarijuanause/impairmentintheworkplace• Specialconcernforsafety-sensitiveworkplaces• Notedlimitationsonrandomdrugtesting• Recognizedneedforaccommodationofdisabilities
• NothingincorporatedintoBillC-45
CANNABISACT– BillC-45
• WhatdoesitmeanforEmployers?
• Treatmuchlikealcoholfor30gorless
• 30gto50g– specialproblem
• limitationsontesting
• ImplicationsforHealthandSafety
• Impairmentvspresence
• Casefor‘marijuanaaddiction’andaccommodation
• Medicalmarijuanauseatwork
CANNABISACT– TaskForce
AdvicetoMinistersTheTaskForcerecommendsthatthefederalgovernment:• Facilitateandmonitorongoingresearchoncannabisandimpairment,consideringimplicationsforoccupationalhealthandsafetypolicies
• Workwithexistingfederal,provincialandterritorialbodiestobetterunderstandpotentialoccupationalhealthandsafetyissuesrelatedtocannabisimpairment
• Workwithprovinces,territories,employersandlabour representativestofacilitatethedevelopmentofworkplaceimpairmentpolicies
CANNABISACT– TaskForce
Problemswithmarijuanatesting• Cannabis-impaireddrivingandworkperformance;
• THCimpairsdrivingperformance,thelevelofTHCinbodilyfluidsdoesnotreliablyindicatethedegreeofimpairment;
• NoequivalenttoBloodAlcoholConcentration(BAC);
• Problemofchronic,heavyusersofcannabis;
• testingtools:oralfluidscreeningdevicesarethemostadvancedtoday(andhavetheaddedadvantageofsignalling recentuse);
CANNABISACT–EmploymentProblems
Problemswithmarijuanauseafterlegalization• Prohibitionofuse/impairmentatwork– testingproblems
• Policies
• Proxiesforimpairment
• Multiplemethodsofingestion– notlikefindingthevodkabottleinthetrunk;
• EmployeeswhotraveltotheUSforwork– maybebannedfromentryeveniflegalinCanada;
• Addictionandhumanrights
CanadianModel
• In 1999, Construction Owners Association of Alberta developed model policy• Updated 4 times since then (most recent 2014)
Available at: http://www.coaa.ab.ca/safety/CanadianModel.aspx
CanadianModel
CanadianModel
ProposedUSFederalGuidelines
MandatoryGuidelinesforFederalWorkplaceDrugTestingProgramsbytheU.S.SubstanceAbuseandMentalHealthServicesAdministration• Currentlyproposedamendmentsto1988guidelines• OraltestingstandardsameasCanadianStandardforMarijuana
• 4ng/mlinitial• 2ng/mlconfirmatory
CanadianModel
CanadianModel
Upheld in:• FluorConstructorsCanadaLtd.andI.B.E.W.,Loc.424(Chornyj)(Re),(2001)100LAC(4th)391• Clearwater Fabrication GP Inc. v. United Assn. of Journeymen and Apprentices of the
Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada, Local Union 488(Johnston Grievance), (2013) 234 L.A.C. (4th) 132
• Good Construction Industry standard• In unionized context, will be largely respected IF incorporated by Employers and Unions into
the Collective Agreement or otherwise agreed to by both• Must be applied reasonably• No cases dealing with non-union context• No reason to think it would not be considered applicable if incorporated by non-union
employers into the terms of employment• Random testing and other aspects MAY be at odds with the Human Rights Act
StatusofDrugTesting
Tolko Industries Ltd. v United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, AlliedIndustrial and Service Workers International Union, Local 1-425, 2017 CanLII 46450 (BC LA)
• E’ee operating heavy equipment involved in serious, preventable accident causing sig.damage – E’ee dismissed for cause
• E’ee testing positive for marijuana metabolites 241ng/ml in urine – over 200ng/ml aboveCanadian Model (not raised here)
• Union argued E’ers justification argument should be summarily dismissed as evidence ofmetabolites in urine does not demonstrate impairment
• Arbitrator dismissed Union’s argument, ordering full hearing with additional evidence• Not satisfied that presence of metabolites could not be used as corroborative evidence of
impairment in light of serious accident• Implication: Cannot safely rely on blood/saliva/urine testing alone
MedicalCannabis
• Calgary(City)vCUPE,Local37,2015CanLII 61756• In2009,Employeeprescribedmedicalmarijuanaforchronicdegenerativeneckproblem• Informed2supervisorsofprescription,andallowedtokeepworkinginsafetysensitivepositionusingheavyequipmentforoverayear
• ManagerlaterlearnedofprescriptionandEmployeewasremovedfromsafety-sensitivepositionpendinginvestigation
• E’er orderedanIMEthatshowedhecouldwork,butE’er perceivedtherewasalingering“drugdependence”issuethatwasunresolved
• E’er triedtohaveAlbertaTransportationremovetheE’ee’s Class3license• Tribunalfoundthatthe“drugdependence”issuewasartificiallycreatedbyE’er• E’er failedtoprovideanyevidenceofactualimpairmentonthejob• E’ee statedthatheconsumedonlyasmallamounteachnighttoeasepainatnight,andneverconsumedduringtheday
MedicalCannabis
• FrenchvSelkin Logging,2015BCHRT101• E’ee operatingheavingloggingequipmentwasterminatedbecauseherefusedtoceasesmokingmarijuanaonthejob
• E’ee hadpainfulcancerwhichhewasself-medicatingwithmarijuana(splitting6-8jointsperdaywithaco-worker)
• E’ee didNOThaveaprescriptionformedicalmarijuana,buthisoncologistwashelpinghimgetoneandwasawareofthedrugusetomanagepain
• E’er hadazero-tolerancepolicy,butallowedweekstogobybetweenfirstreportsofonthejobmarijuanauseandconfrontingE’ee
• Tribunalfoundthatterminationforuseofmarijuanatocontrolpain(whetherprescriptionornot)wasprimafacie discrimination
• PolicywasjustifiedandrequesttoallowE’ee tosmokemarijuanaatworkasunduehardship• Tribunalacknowledgedthat,intherightcase,anE’er mayhavetotoleratesomemedicalmarijuanaconsumptiononthejobasacomponentofaccommodation,solongasitwasnotimpairing
MedicalCannabis
• IBEW,Local1620vLowerChurchillTransmissionConstructionEmp’s Assn.Inc.,[2016]N.L.L.A.A.No.5• E’ee workedbuildingtransmissionlinesforalargehydro-electricproject• E’ee residedatworkcampfor21daysatatime• E’ee hadavalidprescriptionformedicalmarijuanaandpurchasedhissupplylegally– usedforbackpainandaxiety
• E’ee didnotdiscloseprescriptionatthetimeofhiring(afraidhe’dnotbehired),andtookstepstohidhismarijuanasupplyoutsideoftheworkcampastherewasazero-tolerancepolicy
MedicalCannabis
• IBEW,Local1620vLowerChurchillTransmissionConstructionEmp’s Assn.Inc.,[2016]N.L.L.A.A.No.5• NoevidenceE’ee everimpairedatwork• E’ee dismissedasaresultofhisfailuretodisclosehisprescriptionandhistakingactivestepstoconceal• GrievanceDeniedduetoE’ee deceptionandpossessionatworksiteinviolationofzerotolerancepolicy
Causefordisciplineupheld,butpenaltyreferredbacktoarbitrator: IBEW,LocalUnion1620v.LowerChurchillTransmissionConstructionEmployers'AssociationInc.andValard ConstructionLP,2016CanLII 84114(NLTD)
Questions:• WhatifE’ee hadbeenupfrontaboutuse– couldE’er haverefusedhimthepositiongivenhisprescription?
UnitedSteelWorkersLocal7656vMosaicPotashColonsay ULC(Danyluk Grievance),[2016]S.L.A.A.No.4
• CouldE’er maintainzero-tolerancepolicyforpossessionatworkcampifhehaddisclosedhisprescription?
MedicalCannabis
MedicalMarijuana– CanadianModel
• Musthaveaprescription
• Regardless– musthavenoimpairingeffectonE’ee
• Notificationofside-effects
• Stigmaof‘smokingup’atwork• Doess.3.2workforsmokedmedicalcannabis?
RandomTesting
Significantdifferencebetweenunionizedandnon-unionizedworkplaces
Unionizedworkplace• Extraordinarycircumstances
• historyofdrugabuseinworkplace• safetysensitiveworkplace
• Post-incidenttestingmorejustifiable
Non-unionizedworkplace• Noexplicitrestrictiononrandom/post-incidenttesting• Mainconsiderationinhumanrights(addictionandmedicalmarijuana)
HumanRights• Mosttestingisprimafacie discriminatory
HumanRights
• Prohibitdiscriminationforphysicalandmentaldisability
• Addictionisconsideredaphysicaland/ormentaldisability
• MedicalCannabisusersalsoprotected
• Addiction/MedicalCannabisusecannotbeafactorindiscipline/dismissalatallunless itisjustifiedasabonafideoccupationalrequirement
• Employersmustaccommodatetothepointofunduehardship
• SomeFactors:• Safetysensitiveposition• Evidenceofimpairmentatwork• Natureofemployer’sworkplace• Economiccostofaccommodation(ie:costoftreatmentprograms,etc.)
HumanRights
• Brooksv.Martin-BrowerofCanadaCo.,[2008]BCHRTDNo.49• Employeecaughtsmokingmarijuana
• Employeeadmittedaddiction,andreferredbyemployerforcounselling
• Signedanagreementthathewouldabstainfromdruguseandattendoutpatienttreatment
• Employeelaterrefusedtosignupforexpensiveoutpatientprogramandrefusedalternativeproposedbyemployer
• HRComplaintdismissedashefailedtocomplywithaccommodation
HumanRights
• StewartvElkValleyCoalCorporation,2017SCC30– IMPORTANTNEWDECISION
• E’er policyrequiredemployeetocomeforwardwithoutconsequenceifsufferingdrug-addictionandE’er wouldprovidetreatmentifreportedbeforeanyincident
• Policyprovidednearautomaticterminationifincidentoccursandnopriorselfreporting
• Post-accident,E’ee wholateradmittedtocrack-cocaineuseoff-duty,wasterminatedbecausehedidnotcomeforward
• AlbertaHumanRightsCommissiondismissedcomplaintbecauseE’ee inviolationofmandatorydisclosurepolicy
• E’ee testifiedthathedidnotperceivehehadanaddictionuntilafteraccident– BUTSCCruledthatwasirrelevant
THANKYOU!!