This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on March 16, 2014.
LANSING, Michigan — Michigan’s leading business group is urging the state appeals court to rule out jobless benefits for people who are fired for using medical marijuana.
The appeals court has cases involving people who sought benefits after being dismissed. Judges in Kent and Ingham counties have ruled in favor of the workers.
Rich Studley of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce says businesses are in a “no-win situation.” He says employers would have to ignore marijuana use or else pay higher unemployment taxes if a fired worker collects unemployment aid.
The appeals court hasn’t set a date for arguments. The cases involve a forklift driver in Grand Rapids and a hospital employee in Charlotte. They say they shouldn’t be denied benefits after losing their jobs for using marijuana in a legal way.
They can always just do the right thing and not fire patients in the first place for their choice of medication. SMH.
This is why I left that hatefilled state