New Pittsburgh Ordinance Protects Workers Using Medical Cannabis: 4 Steps Employers Can Take Now

by Brian Balonick, Emily Town, Fisher Phillips - JD Supra

Pittsburgh employers must prepare for new workplace protections for medical cannabis patients due to a new anti-discrimination ordinance that will likely be signed into law. The new rules would prohibit employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants – including by requiring drug testing as a condition of employment – based on the individual’s status as a certified medical cannabis cardholder. We’ll explain everything you need to know and give you four steps you can take to prepare for the rules to take effect.

Read more: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-pittsburgh-ordinance-protects-4133716

Requesting and Providing Employee References in the Netherlands – A Risky Business!

by Merel Keijzer - Littler

On December 13, 2019, the Dutch Supreme Court (ECLI:NL:HR:2019:1950) provided clarity on the issue of giving references for former employees. Even after the employment relationship has ended, the employer and employee must act in accordance with the principles of being a good employer and a good employee. For this reason, negative comments about the ex-employee could be classified as unlawful and lead to liability on the part of the employer. In this article, we will discuss points to consider when requesting and providing references, given the case law.

Read more: https://www.littler.com/publication-press/publication/requesting-and-providing-employee-references-netherlands-risky

How companies are putting ex-offenders back to work

by Julie Cook Ramirez - Human Resource Executive

Low unemployment and the desire for a more diverse workforce are leading employers to do what was once unthinkable: hire the formerly incarcerated.

One of America’s leading healthcare organizations, Johns Hopkins Medicine, consistently ranks at or near the top for excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. The Baltimore, Md.-based alliance of the Johns Hopkins Health System and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine receives nearly 3 million patients and over 360,000 emergency-room visits annually across more than 40 care locations. That sheer volume of patient interactions and elite medical education and research requires an enormous staff of more than 40,000 full-time faculty and staff members, making Johns Hopkins one of Maryland’s largest private employers and the largest in Baltimore City.

Read more: https://hrexecutive.com/how-companies-are-putting-ex-offenders-back-to-work/