Last updated : December 16, 2024
If you are trying to discern whether or not Floridians will legalize marijuana in November, it depends on which poll you look to for information. For instance, the latest poll from Florida Atlantic University found that the number of those in support falls short of 60% of the voters—the predetermined number required to pass. On the other hand, the USA Today-Suffix University-WSVN poll released showed those in favor of legalizing pot for recreational use to be 63%.
Florida isn’t the only state putting recreational marijuana on the ballot though. You can likely discover polls that lean toward both outcomes in Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota, too.
If these measures pass, what is the best option for employers to take moving forward?
Promote a drug-free workplace
If you already have a drug-free program in place, you more than likely test for marijuana. If that is the case, you don’t need to change a thing.
Some employers have wondered if they will have to remove the pot panel. The answer to that question is a firm “no.” We’ll warn you that your decision will likely cause some grumbling from any employees looking forward to legalization. However, like alcohol, marijuana causes impairment whether “legal” to use or not.
If you haven’t put a drug-free or zero-tolerance program in place yet, you should consider doing so. Not only will you make your workplace safer for everyone working for you, but some state governments offer discounts on workers’ compensation premiums. For instance, Florida and Idaho offer employers a 5% discount on workers’ compensation premiums after beginning a drug-free workplace program. South Dakota and Nebraska don’t have employer’s premium discounts when they go drug-free.
However, the benefits of a drug-free workplace make it a worthwhile decision.
Reasons to go drug-free
American Addiction Centers recently posted their latest survey results regarding drug abuse in the workplace. Their findings are sobering—no pun intended.
Of those surveyed, 22.5% admitted to using drugs or alcohol during working hours. Specifically regarding marijuana use, 5% of the people surveyed admitted to using marijuana during working hours for nonmedical purposes daily.
Drug testing is one way to weed out employees who put others at risk of becoming involved in an accident because they use drugs in the workplace. Employee and customer safety is the number one reason that employers choose to go drug-free.
Statistics prove that one in six workplace deaths and one in four injury accidents involves drug or alcohol use. They also show that workplace accidents decrease when employees undergo drug testing.
Implementing a drug-free workplace policy affords employers other benefits too.
They include:
- A reduction in absenteeism and tardiness—Employees struggling with substance abuse are more likely to call in sick or with an “I’m running late” excuse.
- Improved productivity—Productivity increases if your employees show up for work raring to go instead of trying to recover from a night of drug-induced who knows what.
- Satisfied employees—When you go drug-free, your employees know you’re putting their best interests at heart. It creates a sense of satisfaction with their career choice. Satisfied employees work harder and often stick around for the long haul.
When your employees realize you take a vested interest in their health and well-being, the workplace culture improves too. Providing employee and management training teaching the dangers of drug abuse and addiction and recognizing the signs of drug impairment bolsters that sense of well-being. Furthermore, make sure that your employees know that you value their input and encourage them to voice any suspicions they may have about drug use in the workplace with their supervisors.
Supervisors should then be especially observant. If your drug-free policy contains a reasonable suspicion policy, management personnel should immediately record all suspicious behavior they witness. Once there is ample documentation, they should present it to the employee when requesting a drug test.
Other drug testing scenarios
Many employers require pre-employment drug testing. If the candidate passes, they never take another.
In addition to pre-employment and reasonable suspicion, other reasons for drug testing are:
- Random testing—All employee names are entered into a pool and periodically a predetermined number gets drawn to be drug tested.
- Post-accident testing—Whether or not you have a drug-free policy in place, workers’ compensation accident claims require the employee be drug tested. It’s useful in determining who caused the accident and provides evidence for claim denial.
- Probational testing—If an employee is returning to work after completing a drug rehabilitation program, employers often require a set number of random tests over a predetermined period to ensure the employee is drug-free.
Squeaky wheels can roll on down the road
If recreational marijuana is passed in Florida—or any of the states placing the measure on the ballot in November—employers can still test for the drug. If employees don’t like it, they are free to look for employment somewhere that doesn’t.
It’s cut and dried, so to speak, because employers have a right to ensure the workplace is as safe as possible for all who enter. Employee drug testing is a big step in the right direction. It’s a great deterrent. Once word gets out that your company tests for drugs, the majority of people who use them, won’t even bother to apply.
