With recent ballot initiatives passing in several states, more employers are asking how the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana has changed drug-testing policies. At the same time, the growing opioid crisis has resulted in enhanced law enforcement efforts and calls for more treatment resources. Workplaces are not immune from the impact of this crisis as drug use impacts attendance, production and safety. Finally, state and federal drug laws are still not in sync as drug use is legal in some states but still illegal under federal law. As a result, employers need to know if they are required to test, if they should update their policies, and what to do when an employee violates their drug and alcohol policies. This session will review the current state of federal laws on drug testing, compare that to the laws from several states and outline best practices in what can be a complicated area of the law. You will learn:
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Jim Reidy, Esq.
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Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green PA
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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.