Guidelines issued on drug testing in the workplace
The growth in use of marijuana and changing attitudes towards the drug creates a risk to workplaces. Two groups have joined forces to offer guidance to businesses on how to tackle the issue including how the side effects could impact on the workplace and how to monitor the drug’s use by employees. The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) have published the guidance in ACOEM’s Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and AAOHN’s journal Workplace Health & Safety. “Marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug of abuse in the United States and around the world,” said ACOEM President Kathryn Mueller, MD. “At the same time, it is, by a wide margin, the drug most often detected in workplace drug testing programs. With rapidly changing attitudes and laws regarding marijuana use, employers need to examine their current policies and be prepared for potential impacts on workforce as these trends continue.”
The issue of marijuana use is complicated by differing state laws including those relating to the use of the drug for medicinal purposes. The two organizations advise that employers seek legal counsel when drawing up policies on medicinal use of the drug. Although courts have backed the employer in some cases where workers have been dismissed, in Arizona a worker cannot be dismissed for medicinal marijuana use alone. The issue is likely to become further clouded as new court rulings are made.
US military not ready to fight a digital war
The US military says it is well placed to defend the country against cyber attacks but is not ready to fight a digital war. The Cyber Command does not have the capability to lead an offensive according to the Pentagon’s senior adviser on cybersecurity. Eric Rosenbach told a Senate subcommittee that the key issue was a lack of technical and manpower resources which need to be tackled. He said that due to automatic budget cuts Cyber Command had been restricted in its training capabilities and does not expect to have the required 6,000 workforce until 2018.
Actuaries highlight the risks of climate change
Next Wednesday (April 22) is Earth Day, an annual event highlighting support for environmental protection around the world. Ahead of this year’s event the American Academy of Actuaries is helping to get the message out about the risks we face from climate change and weather-related incidents. "The Academy hopes to enhance understanding among policymakers and the public at large of the increasing risks from extreme weather incidents," said Shawna Ackerman, vice president of the Academy's Casualty Practice Council. "Our aim is to evaluate and help manage exposure to these risks from an insurance perspective. We do that by combining an objective perspective on what current climate science is telling us with our actuarial expertise." The Academy is part of a group of North American actuarial organizations jointly developing the Actuaries Climate Index and the Actuaries Climate Risk Index, which will focus on measuring the frequency and intensity of extremes in key climate indicators in the United States and Canada.
