Red and Watery Eyes, Slurred Speech, Dorito Crumbs and Other Red Flags: New Legal Challenges to Drug and Alcohol Testing
With the legalization of recreational use of marijuana in four states, the move to decriminalize marijuana in others and the widespread acceptance of medical marijuana, you are faced with new challenges to drug testing and workplace safety policy enforcement. Additionally, the misuse of prescription drugs and alcohol continues to account for workplace accidents and injuries, as well as attendance and job performance problems. Federal and state discrimination and privacy laws can shield medication information from employers that are already worried about “perceived as disabled” and other claims. This session will provide an overview of current laws, review workplace trends in drug and alcohol testing, identify legal pitfalls to avoid, and highlight affirmative steps you can take to keep your workplace safe and functioning properly.
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.