Answer

Does Oklahoma’s medical marijuana law have a safety-sensitive carve-out?

Oklahoma’s medical marijuana law prohibits an employer from refusing to hire, discipline, or penalize an applicant or employee based solely on a marijuana-positive drug test. Recently they passed legislation that creates an exception for positions involving safety-sensitive duties. This includes positions that involve duties that an employer reasonably believes could impact the health and safety of the employee or others. Examples of safety-sensitive positions include, but aren’t limited to, operating motor vehicles, equipment, machinery, or power tools, dispensing pharmaceuticals, direct patient or child care, or handling, packaging, processing, storing, disposing, or transporting hazardous materials, etc. Employers should establish which positions are safety-sensitive within their company and provide a clear and concise written drug testing policy abiding by Oklahoma medical marijuana laws. Once that’s complete and you share it with your employees, you should be in good shape!

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Oklahoma’s medical marijuana law prohibits an employer from refusing to hire, discipline, or penalize an applicant or employee based solely on a marijuana-positive drug test. Recently they passed legislation that creates an exception for positions involving safety-sensitive duties. This includes positions that involve duties that an employer reasonably believes could impact the health and safety of the employee or others. Examples of safety-sensitive positions include, but aren’t limited to, operating motor vehicles, equipment, machinery, or power tools, dispensing pharmaceuticals, direct patient or child care, or handling, packaging, processing, storing, disposing, or transporting hazardous materials, etc. Employers should establish which positions are safety-sensitive within their company and provide a clear and concise written drug testing policy abiding by Oklahoma medical marijuana laws. Once that’s complete and you share it with your employees, you should be in good shape!

YES - All drug testing policies have a testing “panel.” Testing panels consist of substances and level thresholds (limit of detection). DISA offers policies with customized panels, in addition to policies that require standard/regulated panels. (Please note, all DOT and some safety-sensitive, non-DOT drug testing programs have mandatory testing panels)