[MCOH-EH] Applicant Drug Testing, Vol 254, Issue 246

[Chow, Curtis - MMCR]

Susan. Our facilities span many states and most have not legalized marijuana use. Likewise, in our industry it's generally avoiding for obvious liability reasons. Because of the interstate nature of our company (now companies as we have merged with another and have, in fact, created a whole new corporation) we only used federal laws regarding its use and consider it "Illegal." That may be a reason to keep it on your panel. 

Curtis Chow, FNP, PA, MBA
Employee Health Coordinator
Employee Health Department

Dignity Health 
Mercy Medical Center Redding
2175 Rosaline Ave 
Redding, CA 96001
530-225-6194 (O)
530-526-5150 (M)
530-225-7281 (F)

Curtis.Chow at DignityHealth.Org

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   1. Re:  Applicant Drug Testing (Susan Higgins)



I'm hoping for some help from any list serve participant in New England.  (No offense intended to the rest of you but this is the area my CHRO has asked me to inquire of and the List Serve is my go to for these types of questions)



All of New England has now legalized Medical Marijuana.  Those hospitals in ME, NH, VT, CT and Ri if you are doing Applicant Drug testing how are you handling a positive test for marijuana in a candidate with a medical marijuana card?



1. Do you still include marijuana on your panel? We just changed our policy and no longer test  for marijuana for our employees, some outside companies have also requested that we not test for it.

2. If the result is positive, do you exclude from hire those without a Medical Marijuana card?  MRO would make this call if it was for an outside company 

3. Do you interpret as a verified negative if they have a card? MRO would make this call if it was for an outside company



If you prefer to respond to me via email my address is sguerin at mmc.org



I appreciate any assistance you can offer.



Our position to date:  We have not recognized Medical Marijuana cards to this point.  (and Maine has also legalized recreational marijuana)  We are a federal contractor because of federal grant monies received for some of our research work and that has been the basis for the rub between federal law and Maine State law.  Our current interpretation was our Employment Legal team's position on this.   We do not do for cause testing so the only testing has been at time of hire.  Apparently this is position is being reviewed.



Warmest Regards,



Susan L. Guerin-Staples, MSB, FACHE

Senior Director

Employee Health Services

MaineHealth

End of MCOH-EH Digest, Vol 254, Issue 246

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