Pubdate: Mon, 11 Aug 2014
Source: Metro (Ottawa, CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Metro
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/Ottawa
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4032
Page: 3

MEDICAL POT USER CLAIMS SMOKING COST HIM HIS JOB

David-George Oldham. Former TD employee takes case to Human Rights 
Commission after he says he was fired for medicating at work

A former TD Bank employee in Ottawa says he was fired for using 
medical marijuana while on the job and he's taken his complaint to 
the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

David-George Oldham says he suffers from migraines and chronic back 
pain. He has been a licensed medical marijuana user since Dec. 31, 
2013 and began smoking pot at work to alleviate his symptoms.

When he came back from smoking smelling like pot, he says his human 
resources managers became concerned and demanded to see proof of his 
medical marijuana license, which he declined to show them.

"I protested the invasion of my privacy with them wanting to know 
more information, specifically my human resources managers, because 
my direct managers, after knowing that I was licensed, had no 
concerns," said Oldham. "They respected it, but then human resources 
found out...I would smoke outside off of company property. I didn't 
feel like I was doing anything wrong."

Oldham says a representative from HR then began scheduling meetings 
with him. He said he knew it had to do with his pot use, so he 
declined every meeting.

According to Oldham, he was told to take a paid leave of absence on 
April 22 while his managers figure out your religious and medical use 
of cannabis."

He was then escorted from the building and was later officially 
terminated from his job.

An email sent to Oldham from his employer states that because he 
missed so many meetings, he breached the company's code of behaviour 
and ethics and was therefore terminated.

Oldham denies the claim and thinks the firing has everything to do 
with his cannabis use at work. He filed a complaint with the human 
rights commission after mediation with the company was "unsuccessful."

TD Corporate and Public Affairs Manager Meghan Thomas wouldn't 
discuss details of Oldham's complaint, only saying that there was 
"more to the story." She wouldn't elaborate, but offered up a 
statement on the company's behalf.

"TD strives to provide a healthy, inclusive and barrier-free 
workplace for all employees," she wrote in an email. "Because of the 
diverse nature of our workforce, this might involve establishing 
personalized approaches for how, when and where work is completed 
based on employees' unique needs, including accommodation for medical 
conditions."

Oldham is awaiting a response from the commission.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom