Voters will decide in November whether to legalize medical marijuana in our state, and if that happens, workplaces could be scrambling to develop medical marijuana policies for workers.
Many analysts predict it will have a dramatic impact as some people seeking relief from pain, could find themselves in the unemployment line.
Stephen Ball, a partner with the Holland and Knight law firm in Orlando says people who use medical marijuana could face big problems if the company where they work has strong drug testing policies.
“If they [employers] do any type of random testing — as opposed to reasonable, suspicion testing — and your number could be called, there is a likelihood that you may lose your employment,” he says.
Job security is not the only concern if medical marijuana comes to Florida. The other concern is that insurance companies will not pay for people to use it, because medical marijuana is still considered illegal under federal law.
“If they are going to use it, and it’s prescribed by a doctor, then they are going to have to come out of their own pockets for the payment of that,” says Ball.
He said he cannot guess how much that might cost each month, because he does not know how much the state would tax medical marijuana.
The amendment would ban people from operating cars, boats and planes while using medical marijuana.
“If you are in a safety sensitive position where you could do harm to yourself or others, then absolutely an employer can say, ‘No, you are not going to be able to do that,’” says Ball.
The amendment needs approval by 60 percent of the vote to become law
Could passing medical marijuana jeopardize employment?
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