Posted on 06/15/2015 4:54:14 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Pot may be legal in Colorado, but you can still be fired for using it.
The state Supreme Court ruled 6-0 Monday that a medical marijuana patient who was fired after failing a drug test cannot get his job back. The case was being watched closely by employers and pot smokers in states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana.
Colorado became at least the fourth state in which courts have ruled against medical marijuana patients fired for pot use. Supreme courts in California, Montana and Washington state have made similar rulings, and federal courts in Colorado and Michigan also have rejected such claims.
The Colorado worker, Brandon Coats, is a quadriplegic who was fired by Dish Network after failing a 2010 drug test. The company agreed that Coats wasn’t high on the job but said it has a zero-tolerance drug policy. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
The decision was legally correct, but I wished they would have made an exception for him. He smokes the stuff to control muscle spasms related to his quadriplegia.
Bummer, dude, like big-time, man! ;)
Lets say he smoked it just to make his reality suck a little less. He was a quadriplegic.
This country is really lacking in common sense and compassion.
Dish should be ashamed.
That’s what happens with Zero-Tolerance policies for anything.
This is as it should be. Want a really decent job? Don’t do dope.
How does a quad hang sat dishes on homes anyway? Sounds like the back office was tired of him.
Marijuana is legal in CO. I hope I can always find a place to live where it isn't. That being said, this decision is bothersome. What's next? Firing people who smoke, consume alcohol, eat junk food, have tattoos? If it were an illegal substance there, I'd say fine.
I dont know what kind of job he has. Phone support? I wouldn’t miss it.if I were him.
>> What’s next? Firing people who smoke, consume alcohol, eat junk food, have tattoos?<<
Yes — all are possible firing offenses.
>>If it were an illegal substance there, I’d say fine.<<
It was illegal at the time of the firing.
Yup. Here was a guy who was a productive member of society, making his own way in life in spite of his handicap.
And yet we pay other peoples way through life so they can smoke it whenever they want and not have to worry about real handicaps or drug tests.
I feel the same way. I thought it was just another guy using drugs and when I heard his story, I was shocked to hear of the circumstances under which he was fired.
So maybe welfare types can be cut off if they don’t pass a pee test?
I can drink alcohol while off the job...no problem...
I show up drunk at work...my butt is fired...
I don’t see why pot is any different...
Pot stays in your system longer than alcohol...
1) The state of Colorado legalized marijuana. This is a local jurisdiction issue.
2) The US government still considers marijuana to be an illegal substance. This is a criminal law issue.
3) His terms of employment to a private company has stipulations that he cannot use marijuana. This is a civil law issue.
The company can change its employment terms to allow pot usage for medical conditions and contractually he would be in the clear with them. It is not likely the company will do this because the feds consider marijuana to be a controlled substance.
More illegal drugs showing up on workplace drug tests
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – The number of American workers testing positive for drugs like heroin and marijuana is going up.
There have long been (and continue to be) places that do not even permit their employees to smoke tobacco in their off hours.
No one wanted to stand up for the rights of tobacco smokers as they were continually demonized and scapegoated.
The excuse was insurance costs.
Homosexualists have health problems too (short life span, drug abuse, STDs, suicide risk).
“I dont know what kind of job he has. Phone support? I wouldn’t miss it.if I were him.”
A woman I know worked in telemarketing once. She said 8 hours of abuse eventually starts to wear you down.
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