Karen Kitchen

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation recently published its position on the BWC and its programs relative to medical marijuana, and states that the impact is “limited.  It does not adversely affect the Drug-free Safety Program, will not require BWC to pay for patient access to marijuana, and expressly states that an employee under the Read more »

After years of anticipation, effective August 11th, 2016, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) determined its stance on whether or not marijuana should be moved from a Schedule I to a Schedule II drug. The answer? No. Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high Read more »

What will this mean to employers and their drug-free workplace programs? House Bill 523, which was signed into law in early June by Governor John Kasich, takes effect today in Ohio, September 8, 2016. This will make Ohio the 25th state in the country to legalize marijuana for a variety of medical conditions* for which Read more »

Employees are the most important part of your business. Every individual working harmoniously toward a common goal is the road to success and a path to employee satisfaction and retention. This sounds great, but one very notable cause for derailing this harmony is employee substance abuse. Unfortunately, small businesses experience approximately 44% of workplace drug Read more »

Starting on July 5th, there were 17 reports of heroin overdoses in Akron, Ohio, and one death, according to newsnet5.com. Akron’s Mayor said the city has “moved into a public health crisis.” Akron’s Police Chief said investigators think heroin was laced with fentanyl in some of the 17 overdoses that were reported Tuesday and they’re Read more »

Accidents on the job and Workers’ Compensation claims can be a huge expense for employers. If an employee is intoxicated at the time of the accident, the employer may have some legal defense against claims. Hiring an expert to handle post-accident drug testing is smart for a number of reasons. Post-accident Drug Tests Protect Your Read more »

Earlier this month, Governor John Kasich approved House Bill 523, legalizing marijuana for medical use. Ohio will be the 25th state to approve its use. The bill will go into effect in September, 2016, but it will be a while before the product is available in Ohio. Once it is legal, people who have a Read more »

Drug testing your employees can be seamless when you have the right processes in place, but bringing up the topic may cause some uneasiness due to its stigma. Whether you have to inform an individual that it is time for a test or if you have to tell your employees about a new company policy, Read more »