On Monday, March 23, 2020, the United States Department of Transportation issued guidance for DOT-regulated employers, employees, and their service agents that might be facing challenges in meeting the department’s drug and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: As we reported here, the CBD (cannabidiol) craze is sweeping the nation. By 2022, it is expected to be a $22 billion per year industry. That said, if a CBD product has a concentration of more than 0.3% of...more
2/20/2020
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Controlled Substances ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Drug Testing ,
Employment Policies ,
Farm Bill ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Safety Standards ,
Workplace Safety
On January 21, 2020, the Oakland City Council unanimously passed the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance (“FCHO”), which will restrict landlords in their ability to reject a potential tenant because of prior criminal history. It...more
2/11/2020
/ Adverse Action ,
City Councils ,
Class Action ,
Conditional Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Discrimination ,
Drug Distribution ,
Housing Market ,
Landlords ,
Local Ordinance ,
Municipalities ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Rental Applications ,
Rental Property ,
Risk Management ,
Sex Offenders ,
State and Local Government ,
Tenants
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 30, 2020, the Maryland General Assembly voted to override Governor Larry Hogan’s May 2019 veto of the Act Concerning Record Screening Practices (Ban the Box) (the “Act”). As a result, effective...more
2/7/2020
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Vetoes ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: St. Louis has become the third locality in Missouri to enact a “Ban the Box” law, joining Kansas City and Columbia. With a January 1, 2021 effective date, covered employers should begin taking steps to...more
2/4/2020
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Penalties ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government
In a recent decision, Palmiter v. Commonwealth Health Systems, the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas held that: (a) the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act (“MMA”) creates a private right of action for wrongful termination;...more
2/4/2020
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Private Right of Action ,
Public Policy ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Wrongful Termination
Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 17, 2019, Congress passed "The Fair Chance To Compete for Jobs Act of 2019" (the “Act”) as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. ...more
1/28/2020
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Defense Contracts ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Contractors ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Regulatory Requirements
On January 10, 2020, Colorado Representative Jovan Melton (D) introduced House Bill 20-1089, which proposes to clarify that the existing prohibition on an employer terminating an employee for the employee’s lawful off-duty...more
1/28/2020
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Controlled Substances ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Off-Duty Employees ,
Preemption ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: The San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (the “FCO”), which was amended as of October 1, 2018, has long required that covered employers provide employees with the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement’s...more
1/24/2020
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Fair Chance Act ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Local Ordinance ,
Notice Requirements ,
San Francisco ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: Waterloo, Iowa has enacted the state’s first “Ban the Box” Ordinance.
UPDATE: The Iowa Association of Business and Industry has filed a lawsuit against the City of Waterloo and the Waterloo Commission on...more
1/24/2020
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Covered Employer ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Multistate Corporations ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government
Employers considering a tolerant attitude towards recreational cannabis in the workplace should consider safety hazards and legal liabilities. ...more
1/22/2020
/ Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
General Duty Clause ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
OSHA ,
Recreational Use ,
Safety Standards ,
Workplace Safety ,
Zero Tolerance Policies
Seyfarth Synopsis: On December 3, 2019, the Appellate Court of Illinois affirmed summary judgment in favor of a public utility company that considered credit checks for individuals applying for a customer service...more
1/14/2020
/ Appeals ,
Confidential Information ,
Credit Checks ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Right to Privacy ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Summary Judgment
In 2016, Pennsylvania enacted its “Medical Marijuana Act” (MMA), which permits individuals suffering from certain conditions to use marijuana for medicinal use. Several provisions in the MMA impact employers. For instance,...more
1/7/2020
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Duties ,
Labor Regulations ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
New Legislation ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: After six years of litigation, on November 18, 2019, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced a multimillion-dollar settlement with a national employer, which resolved litigation that...more
12/10/2019
/ Ban the Box ,
Class Action ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Consent Decrees ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Disparate Impact ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Minorities ,
Screening Procedures ,
Settlement Agreements
On November 18, 2019, Florida Senator Lori Berman (D) introduced Senate Bill 962, which proposes to provide job applicants and employees who use medical marijuana various protections in employment....more
12/4/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Job Descriptions ,
Labor Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: With limited exception, Puerto Rico has joined the growing list of states that preclude an employer or prospective employer from procuring an employee’s or applicant’s credit history and/or taking adverse...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Waterloo, Iowa has enacted the state’s first “Ban the Box” Ordinance....more
11/27/2019
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Local Ordinance ,
State Labor Laws
The Illinois General Assembly passed SB 1557, revising the language of the Recreational Cannabis Law to reduce but not eliminate employer liabilities.
...more
11/22/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Pending Legislation ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers are grappling with the wave of marijuana laws sweeping the nation, some of which provide very employee-friendly protections....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed summary judgment in favor of an employer that terminated an employee after he tested positive for methamphetamines, even though he claimed that his drug...more
11/5/2019
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Appeals ,
Controlled Substances ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Medical Examinations ,
Over The Counter Drugs (OTC)
Seyfarth Synopsis: California’s ban-the-box law strictly regulates how employers may obtain and consider background check information when hiring and making personnel decisions. What’s more, Los Angeles and San Francisco have...more
10/31/2019
/ Background Checks ,
Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Criminal Records ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Notification Requirements ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Western District of New York, in Horn v. Medical Marijuana, Inc., et al., issued an initial procedural order last week in a case where the plaintiff’s purchase and use of the defendant products resulted...more
10/15/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Commercial Truck Drivers ,
Department of Transportation (DOT) ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Marijuana ,
Termination ,
Trucking Industry ,
Zero Tolerance Policies
Seyfarth Synopsis: A New Jersey appellate court recently concluded in Wild v. Carriage Funeral Holdings, Inc. that even though New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (the Act) did not “require … an employer to...more
7/23/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: While employees often will toot their own horn, employers sometimes may have concerns about their ability to safely perform their job. If this situation rings a bell, it will be music to your ears to hear...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the new recreational cannabis bill, which contains extensive provisions regarding the extent of an employer’s right to ban and otherwise discipline employees for...more
6/28/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Labor Regulations ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
New Legislation ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recreational Use ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety