Pubdate: Thu, 13 Nov 2014
Source: Providence Journal, The (RI)
Copyright: 2014 The Providence Journal Company
Contact:  http://www.providencejournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/352
Author: Lynn Arditi

RI ACLU SUES FABRIC MAKER FOR ALLEGEDLY DISCRIMINATING AGAINST A 
MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil 
Liberties Union is suing a Westerly-based fabric manufacturer on 
behalf of a University of Rhode Island graduate student who says she 
was denied a paid summer internship because she is a registered 
medical marijuana user.

The lawsuit alleges that Darlington Fabrics violated the Rhode Island 
Civil Rights Act and the state medical marijuana law when it turned 
down Christine Callaghan for a paid internship at the company last 
July after she disclosed she was a medical marijuana cardholder, the 
ACLU said in a news release. Callaghan uses medical marijuana to 
treat "frequent, debilitating migraine headaches."

Callaghan disclosed the information during an interview with a 
representative from the company's human resources department. She 
explained that she would not bring medical marijuana onto the 
premises or come to work after having taken marijuana," according to the ACLU.

The company "withdrew the paid internship" for which she was also to 
receive class credit, the statement reads, "after finding out about 
her medical status."

Callahan, a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design who is 
studying textiles at URI and working towards a masters' degree, 
contends that she was unable to find a comparable summer job and is 
now in jeopardy of being unable to graduate on time. She also was 
forced to disclose her medical marijuana status to professors, 
according to her lawyer, Carly Beauvais Iafrate.

Timothy C. Cavazza, a Providence lawyer representing the Moore 
Company and Darlington Fabrics, said Thursday that the company's 
policy is not to comment on pending litigation. "We are confident, 
however, that both companies have at all times acted in compliance 
with state and federal law and that this suit will be dismissed," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom