Reality Check on Marijuana

By Kristen B. Frasch
Monday, September 29, 2014

With all eyes on an upcoming Colorado Supreme Court hearing, experts weigh in on whether employers will ever really be forced to let cannabis infiltrate their workplaces.

Proponents and opponents of the nationwide move to legalize marijuana, recreationally and/or medically, are keeping close eyes on the case of Coats v. Dish Network, slated to be argued before the Colorado Supreme Court tomorrow, Sept. 30.

The case revolves around disabled customer-service representative Brandon Coats, 35, who — after testing positive for marijuana — told his boss on a Friday that he smoked it primarily at night to relieve spasms he suffered as a result of a car accident that paralyzed him when he was 16. When he showed up for work the following Monday, he said in a recent New York Times article, “my card wouldn’t open up the door.” In short, he had been fired for violating Dish’s drug-free-workplace policy.

http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/view/story.jhtml?id=534357598