Changes to Marijuana Laws and the Opioid Crisis: How Employers Are Dealing with These Complicated Issues
Employers across the country continue to struggle with the enforcement of drug and alcohol policies given changes to the drug laws over the last few years. From recruitment to retention, employers seek to find and retain the best employees while maintaining a safe and productive work environment. In addition to relaxed marijuana laws in many states, the opioid crisis has had a significant impact on the workplace. In this session, you will review:
- The changes in state laws and the potential conflicts with federal enforcement initiatives.
- Statistics around how the opioid crisis has impacted our communities and, in particular, the workplace.
- How drug and alcohol policies and testing practices have evolved.
- Best practices in this ever-changing area of the law.
James Reidy, Esq.
Attorney James P. (“Jim”) Reidy is a management-side labor and employment lawyer. He is a partner in the New England based law firm, Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green, PA, where he is the Chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment group. His practice focuses on prevention, training and compliance but he also handles matters when claims arise.
He has more than 35 years of experience in the field and been a media resource on workplace law for media outlets including CNN, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Business Magazine, Bloomberg, NPR, The Associated Press, NPR Market Place, Buzz Feed, Law 360, Inc. Magazine, The HR Power Hour, HR Breakroom, SKI Magazine and HR Magazine as well as several local/regional publications.
In 2020 Jim was inducted as a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
Chambers USA and New England Super Lawyers have ranked Jim in the Top Tier of management-side employment lawyers for each year of the last 15 years. Best Lawyers USA named Jim the 2022 Lawyer of the Year for Labor and Employment Law (Manchester, NH) and the NH Business Review named him one of the top 200 most influential business leaders in New Hampshire.
Jim has been a presenter regularly at SHRM’s Legal and Legislative Conference in Washington, DC as well as SHRM’s annual conferences.