Employment trends expert explains what employers in newly-legalized areas need to know

Five more states including Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use, medical use, or both yesterday. This leaves just a handful of American states in which marijuana use of any kind is fully illegal. So what does this mean for employers and drug use in the workplace?

Rob Wilson, an employment trends expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm, offers his timely expertise on this breaking topic.

“The federal government still classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 substance, which is the same class as heroin and ecstasy,” says the human resources specialist. “However, since many more states now permit the use of marijuana, either medically or recreationally, this leads to very murky waters for employers, especially as it can potentially be illegal to discriminate against employees with a medical marijuana card.”

So how do these changes to long-standing drug laws impact the way that employers can monitor possible drug use among their staff?

“Your ability to monitor drug use among your employees is going to depend on whether or not you are a unionized or private workplace,” says Wilson. “While you have the right to expect and require sobriety from workers on the job, it can become a bit tricky when you suspect drug use and want to act on your fears.”

Wilson says that if you work in a non-unionized environment, you should ask a supervisor or human resources team member to help you determine if an employee is under the influence of marijuana.

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Employment trends expert explains voting rights and workplace regulations 

As Election Day approaches, millions of Americans have already voted via absentee ballot or early in-person voting. Yet due to unprecedented long lines and concerns around the coronavirus, many people still haven’t managed to cast their ballot. Here is what employers need to know about employees’ rights around Election Day, for those who still need to make their voice heard.

“Some states require that employers give employees time off to vote, provided that the employees’ working hours will prevent them from making it to the polls either before or after their shift,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA. “For example, Illinois requires employers to provide up to 2 hours of paid time off for employees casting a ballot. Other states such as Wisconsin and Arkansas will provide employees time off to vote, but it is unpaid.”

Wilson says employers should become familiar with state laws regarding election rights in their area, as these laws take precedence even during national elections.

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Human resources expert explains why online behavior is leading to terminations

A South Carolina fast-food worker was recently fired for a political joke she made on her social media page. In the last month alone, police officers and teachers alike have lost their positions after expressing their views online.

Several other employees across the country have faced workplace consequences for comments on their social media pages, with a mayoral aide in Massachusetts saying he lost his job due to his vociferous support of the Black Lives Matter movement on his social media.

So just how much freedom of speech is an employee permitted to have, and how can employers encourage responsible social media behavior while still respecting an employee’s privacy? Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and a human resources expert, weighs in on this timely topic below.

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Employment expert discusses drug testing and how employers can monitor substance use among WFH employees

A recent survey revealed that positive drug tests among American employees reached a record high in 2019. But drug testing employees in 2020 will be much different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. How can employers monitor substance abuse among workers when millions of employees are working-from-home?

“We know that alcohol use has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and presumably drug use has as well, although those statistics are harder to track,’ says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and an employment trends expert. “Understandably, many employers are concerned about substance use among their workers, especially if it is occurring on the clock. Since so many people are working from home, it can be really hard to know if an employee is abusing drugs or alcohol during work hours, yet by the same token, drug-testing can also feel risky during a time when people are afraid to go to the doctor or health clinic or expose themselves to unnecessary germs.”

So how can employers safely continue drug testing their employees while still respecting the very real dangers of the pandemic?

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HR expert explains what employers need to do if employees have a positive COVID-19 test

As COVID-19 cases climb around the nation, many employers are struggling to find a balance between keeping their businesses afloat and their employees safe. Along with putting safeguards into place such as plexiglass barriers and mask mandates for workers and customers, employment experts say that companies also need to have a COVID-19 plan in place for when employees test positive for the novel coronavirus.

“It’s no longer an ‘if’ one of your employees becomes infected, but when,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm. “Sadly, it’s a given at this point that one of your employees will likely contract the virus at some point in the near future, if they have not already. Your company needs to have a well-thought-out plan for how you’re going to pivot immediately into action when this occurs.”

Wilson says that sanitizing the workplace and informing potentially impacted coworkers and clients is just the beginning. Employers also need to consider whether or not the COVID-19 case can be traced back to the workplace.

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