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Sarahanne Vaughan is an associate in Bradley’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.

Sarahanne received her J.D. (cum laude) from Wake Forest School of Law, where she served as articles editor for the Wake Forest Journal of Law and Policy. She also earned the Dean Suzanne Reynolds Award for both Employment Discrimination and Constitutional Law. Sarahanne earned a degree in Political Science from Rhodes College.

This country’s relationship with cannabis is a complicated one, and as is often the case in complicated matters, words matter. Marijuana and hemp are different strains of the Cannabis sativa L plant. So, “cannabis” is a scientific term, not a legal one.

Although the Controlled Substances Act historically made no distinction between marijuana and hemp

Roughly a month ago, the U.S. House of Representative voted to pass the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, which decriminalizes marijuana under federal law. Most notably, the MORE Act would remove marijuana as a “scheduled” drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The proposed MORE Act also addresses other marijuana-related topics, such as

For almost two years now, employers have been tackling the issues surrounding COVID-19. Not surprisingly most questions centered on COVID-19-specific leave, OSHA reporting requirements, and vaccines. Now, the EEOC has chimed in on something that employers may not have yet considered: When does an employee’s COVID-19 become a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act?

Another Type of COVID Long Haul—Future Discrimination Suits?We’ve been talking a lot about COVID-19 lately and, in particular, the various regulations and guidance that have come out regarding an employer’s day-to-day responsibilities: Can you require employees to take the vaccine? What kinds of medical questions can I ask my employees? Should employees still wear masks? How does COVID-19-related leave work? What do

Something to Talk About: Fifth Circuit Reminds Us to Engage in the Interactive ProcessThe United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently reiterated the importance of engaging in the interactive process with employees seeking disability accommodations. This case serves as a helpful reminder, especially in the post-COVID-19 work-from-home era, that engaging in meaningful, collaborative conversations with your employees who seek accommodations is best for everyone.

Background

Surfing the “Interwebs” May Not Be a Public Accommodation Issue Under the ADA, According to 11th CircuitIn a long-awaited opinion, the Eleventh Circuit held that websites are not places of public accommodation for purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). When employers think of the ADA, the first thing that likely comes to mind is that it’s the law that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of disability. But the

Coming Back (or Staying Gone) for More: ARPA Extends Tax Credits for Providing COVID-19 LeaveJust when you had your COVID-19 leave policies in place, Congress goes and passes new legislation: the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Remember, as we outlined in a previous blog post, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was passed in March of last year and provided that employers with fewer than 500 employees

Weeding Out Claims by Agricultural Workers – The NLRA, the Agricultural Exemption, and the Cannabis IndustryIn a recent Advice Response Memo, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) indicated that employees of a cannabis growing operation were exempt from the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), meaning that the employees were not entitled to the NLRA’s protections. The employees had alleged that the cannabis operation interfered with their attempts to unionize,

Absolute Freedom to Tweet? Employers (and the NLRA) May Have Something to Say About ItDo you need a social media policy or are the legal obstacles just too much? Now more than ever, people are exercising their First Amendment right to free speech, which, not surprisingly, can cause heartburn at the workplace. In times of contention, stress, and uncertainty, speech often multiplies, and, in an era where someone’s speech

Earlier this month, voters in five states took to the ballot box and legalized some form of marijuana use. Polls show that Voters Legalize Marijuana, Employers Ask Questionstwo-thirds of Americans now favor marijuana legalization, and 59% said it should be legal for both recreational and medical purposes. This is a sharp contrast to Gallup’s first poll on the issue in