Policy Change Memo for a Plant Manager The situation:
You are the plant manager of a manufacturing organization located in the state of Ohio. This company employees 300 full-time employees and uses heavy and/or hazardous equipment in the manufacturing process. Because of the industry, type of manufacturing process and the organizations’ history of worker injury, your experience rating with the Bureau of Workers Compensation is above average and your worker’s comp premium is more than $1 million annually.
Several years ago, you worked with your management team to evaluate how to better manage the organization’s Worker Compensation costs. The outcome of the project was the implementation of a series of safety measures; one of which included the institution of a drug-free workplace program. The drug-free program consists of a policy that states employees could not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at work and would be subject to termination if they tested positive while undergoing a workplace drug test. It also states that if an employee is prescribed a drug causing the individual to be less alert and pose a possible danger at work i.e., pain killer – the individual would be temporarily reassigned to light duty until the prescription was complete.
In 2016, the state of Ohio passed House Bill 523 authorizing the legal use of marijuana for medical purposes which will go into effect in September 2018. This law allows individuals who have been granted a “medical card” by a licensed physician to purchase and legally use medical marijuana for relief of pain caused by one of 20 different medical conditions. The bill also provided a provision allowing employers to ban the use of medical marijuana by employees and terminate employees who test positive to having marijuana in their system while at work. The provision also states that employers must have a written policy about banning medical marijuana use and inform employees prior to enforcing the policy.
Your company has decided to invoke the employer provision allowing your organization to ban the use of medical marijuana by employees while at work. You have made the necessary written changes to your policy, are planning a corporate-wide training exercise to inform everyone about the policy change and want to prepare them for this change. At this time you need to complete communication to all employees informing them of the policy change and the scheduled training.
Craft a memo to all employees informing them that although the state of Ohio has legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes the drug-free workplace policy remains in effect and now includes the banning of the use of marijuana for medical purposes while at work.
- Start out with a buffer. Pay special attention to the “you attitude.”
- In your first paragraph, include a statement to help the readers understand the purpose of the
policy change.
- Provide the timeline and method for policy implementation.
- Provide substantial information about your expectations for employees complying with the
policy.
- Conclude on a courteous note.
