Question:
Hello, I am an office manager at a manufacturer that has a fellow employee who smokes pot several times a day during business hours. This employee has a small room in the basement where they do their smoking. The smell comes up through the floor vents and can be really strong in the offices. Customers and vendors who come into the office areas can smell the pot. I have complained to the owner of the company but nothing is being done. Can I contact the police to file a complaint and have this individual removed. I don’t care what he does in his own time after work but this should not happen during business hours. Do you have any advice or should I find a way to remove him on my own?
Thank you.
Answer:
Hopefully it’s not a job where marijuana impairment could be dangerous, like working on explosives or lion taming… Seriously though, it depends on what state you live in, some states still consider pot illegal while others, like liberal CA, have legalized it. Police really cant do much on private property, especially if the boss condones it. If you live in a state where marijuana is still illegal and they pull him over leaving the business and find pot, or he’s under the influence, he could be arrested. Sounds more like it’s an issue with the company. I would tell the boss it is causing health issues and giving you headaches, and your getting complaints from vendors and customers about the smell. Put it in writing or emails and keep records of your communications.
If the boss isn’t doing anything, is he down in the basement smoking too or is the pothead related to him? Depending on the size of the company, is there an HR person you can complain to? Or depending on the job the pothead does, maybe you can drop a tip to OSHA who investigates workplace safety and accidents. If the employee does a job that could be dangerous with impairment, OSHA will crack down on the company. It’s basically the same as if the employee was drinking on the job. If all else fails, and your boss doesn’t respect your opinion, start looking for another job…..
