A new website by Connecticut on cannabis use was announced by Governor Lamont’s administration over the weekend.   Unfortunately, it contains an error regarding the cannabis use and the workplace; it highlights the mess that has been created by the General Assembly on the cannabis bill.

Here’s one example.

Over the weekend, the website began

Lost amid the press regarding the new law legalizing cannabis use is the fact that the law also restricts smoking far more in the workplace and affords employers more flexibility as well.

The new law requires employers to to ban smoking and e-cigarette use in any area of the workplace (this will apply to tobacco

Earlier today, I appeared on Dennis House’s Sunday News Show, “This Week in Connecticut” on WTNH, to talk about the state’s new legal cannabis law and its implications for the workplace.

My thanks to Dennis for the invitation to bring this issues to employers and discuss how employers are going to need to adapt

pottYou might think that smoking pot on the job as a state employee would be justifiable grounds to get you fired.

A no-brainer, right?

(Let’s save a discussion for eating brownies and swearing at your cat for another blog post.)

After all, even the Connecticut Supreme Court is stating that the “statutory, regulatory and

So yesterday, I made a convincing case that employees who smoke outside the workplace can’t be treated differently than your non-smokers. 

But what about your health insurance plans? Doesn’t the state law prohibit your plan from imposing higher premium costs on those smokers?

Well on first glance it appears yes.  The state law would seem

When I was away last week, one of the headlines from my alma mater caught my attention.  The University of Pennsylvania Health System announced that effective July 1st, they will refuse to hire anyone who smokes or uses tobacco.

Smokers’ Rights Continue

No doubt some of you are either lauding

Let’s say you’re an employer in Connecticut.  And you want to keep your health insurance costs down and promote a “healthy workplace”.  After all, its a new year and a new year is built for resolutions like quitting smoking.

Beware of Smokers Rights Laws

No less than The New York

This week, word came down that several Hartford-area companies were implementing a ban on smoking anywhere on company premises. This means outside areas on the campuses of these businesses, and the parking lots as well.  Previously, employees could smoke in designated areas outside various buildings. 

Yesterday, Bristol started considering implementing a ban on smoking

There’s been a lot of talk of late of a "trend" beginning where employers are taking stock of employees health habits, particularly smoking.  Some employers are even considering a "smoke screen", per this story and this followup as well.   Some other background on employers and smoking policies can be found here, and here.