Michigan Unemployment And Mmj

[AbominableDro-Man]

We've all heard of the horror stories and such, and while I recognize that this article is by no means "new", it was new to me this morning. Sure, you could still be fired for using your medications off job, but with some pulling you should keep your unemployment. 

 

http://www.hightimes.com/read/michigan-medical-marijuana-patients-can-collect-unemployment

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"Michigan workers who use medical marijuana are eligible for unemployment benefits in the event they are fired for failing a drug test, according to a recent verdict by a state court of appeals. Last Friday, a panel of judges upheld the decisions of three separate cases in which workers were terminated from their positions solely because they violated workplace drug polices with the use of medical marijuana.

 

The court found that the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act superseded the Michigan Employment Security Act, and therefore protects working medical marijuana patients from being withheld unemployment benefits. “The plain language of the MMMA’s immunity clause states that claimants shall not suffer a penalty for their medical use of marijuana,” according to the verdict.

 

The ruling stems from three cases that emerged between 2010 and 2012 in which employees were permanently dismissed from work duties after failing random drug screenings. Although medical marijuana is legal in the state of Michigan, employers still have the right to employ “drug free” policies, which usually includes the use of medicinal cannabis. However, while positions under these policies are not immune from termination, the appeals court maintains that a positive test for medical marijuana does not disqualify a worker from collecting employment pay.

 

“It’s a very favorable decision for the civil rights of employees in Michigan,” attorney and executive director of Michigan NORML, Matt Abel told the Detroit Free Press. "They still can be fired for medical-marijuana use — even off the job, which we think is wrong. But now, at least they can't be barred from unemployment benefits for that reason alone.”

 

Michigan cannabis advocates argue that while it is unjust to terminate a worker because he or she uses legally obtained medical marijuana, the latest verdict is a substantial win. "This is not the ultimate victory but it's a big step in the right direction," said medical-marijuana patient and Lyon Township political candidate, Steven Greene.

 

Therefore, while patients/workers in the Wolverine State still run the risk of losing their jobs as a result of using medical marijuana, this will not prevent them from collecting unemployment benefits."

Edited February 4, 2015 by AbominableDro-Man

[+Malamute]

Many Republicans are working/intending to resolve this by amending the act if possible.

[AbominableDro-Man]

Sort of unfortunate really. Why do they feel like they have to ruin things for people?

[+Malamute]

We fight them regularly on these type of issues. 

 

Haters will hate?

 

;-)

 

We fight to completely oppose drug testing(unemployment, welfare, work) and if lost, fight for exceptions for medical cannabis patients.

 

We have a history of success on this so far.  We have helped stop bills and we have helped to get exceptions. 

 

 But 'them' are republicans, police and a general public filled with haters.  Even on this forum people have supported and begged for drug testing.

[bobandtorey]

It may be because they may not understand Cannabis and how much it helps people

[AbominableDro-Man]

True enough

Edited February 4, 2015 by AbominableDro-Man

[nsmn8r]

I can kind of see the businesses side on this too. Unemployment isn't just free money. It has to come from somewhere. When people collect, the business they worked for has to pay more into it.

 

A privately owned business should be able to hire and fire whoever they want for any or no reason without having to worry about having to pay more out.

 

I think we should get rid of unemployment all together along ith the rest of the welfare crap our nanny state "provides"

[+Malamute]

I can kind of see the businesses side on this too. Unemployment isn't just free money. It has to come from somewhere. When people collect, the business they worked for has to pay more into it.

 

 

 Well, that is a lack of understanding how Unemployment works on the employer side.  You can pay a tax or be a reimbursing employer(depending on type of business). Tax is flat and is like insurance.  A reimbursing employer pays no tax or insurance, but has to pay out benefits themselves if an employee is eligible and the employer can protest it with a hearing. 

[+Malamute]

Computing the tax. The FUTA(Federal Unemployment Tax Act) tax is imposed at a single flat rate on the first $7,000 of wages that you pay each employee. Once an employee's wages for the calendar year exceed $7,000, you have no further FUTA liability for that employee for the year.

The FUTA tax rate is 6 percent. That is the tax rate that applies to the first $7,000 in wages paid to each of your employees during the year.

 

Credit for state unemployment taxes. You can generally claim credits against your gross FUTA tax to reflect the state unemployment taxes you pay. If you paid all your state unemployment taxes on time, and before the due date of your FUTA tax return, you'll be allowed to claim a credit equal to 5.4 percent of your federally taxable wages. This will effectively reduce the FUTA tax rate to 0.6 percent..

Keep in mind that the fact that your actual state tax rate is below 5.4 percent doesn't matter — the federal credit is fixed at that rate.

 

 In otherwords, no matter how much your employees earn($7,000 - infinite) the max an employer pays per year is $420.

 

:-)

 

 It is like paying Social security, except the employee doesn't have to pay the tax(insurance). It is an assumed cost of having employees and helps stabilize society.

[pic book]

i had driver and office employees getting w2s, and other drivers who owned their rigs and got 1099s cause they were self-employed and thus worked w/o the safety net of unemployment. My general impression of unemployment is that it is food stamps for workers, a bare minimum get-along stipend that workers on the low end of the bell curve cannot survive w/o. it is absolutely necessary forpeeps on min. wage, young peeps starting out, peeps with no skill and no luck and no savings and horrible addictions that suck away health and dollars (cigarettes average $1.4 million over 40 years) or the possibility of building wealth. I believe that there should be a means test, just as there is for bridge cards and just as there shud be for social security. My atty brother, retired at age 55 with two mansions and an rv that cost as much as one of them, who travels all year long, gets soc sec. He did indian and water rights law from aage 25 to 51, and if he ever needed unemployment he's have been eligible for it, but he held one job his whole life and managed his salary, never divorced, never played a fool, never gambled or smoked or drank--all wealth destroyers. He shud experience a reverse reward. He shud not have been eligible for unemployment and shud not get soc security, which was initially a safety net, not a guaranteed stipend. Safety nets for the unfortunate--nothing for the self-sufficient.

[pic book]

if we play the fool much longer in the us, paying for things that are unneccessary for the wealthy, we will be in the situation ofgreece, a bankrupt country, in debt with civil unrest and of little account in world affairs.

[trichcycler]

tic-toc^^

[YesMichigan]

Does this apply to Section 8 immunity?

 

Can a fired employee prove that their unlicensed use was for medical reasons and thus they are entitled to unemployment though they were unregistered with LARA at the time of the offending urine tasting? (not a typo)

[+Malamute]

It will cost more than your unemployment checks to find out... ;-p

[YesMichigan]

It will cost more than your unemployment checks to find out... ;-p

 

I don't work for other people so I can't find out....

[budpuffer]

I can kind of see the businesses side on this too. Unemployment isn't just free money. It has to come from somewhere. When people collect, the business they worked for has to pay more into it.

 

A privately owned business should be able to hire and fire whoever they want for any or no reason without having to worry about having to pay more out.

 

I think we should get rid of unemployment all together along ith the rest of the welfare crap our nanny state "provides"

i just have one question for you,,,what do you think would of happened to the US economy and peoples lifes during the big crash of 2009 if those safe guards weren't in place? now think a little...lol..  i worry when people with small minds think out loud..bp

[nsmn8r]

Don't know and don't care butpuffer. My small mind has always been able to find or create a job so i've never had to ask for welfare. Maybe if the nanny state didn't offer it as an option people like you would sock away some cash and create your own safety net instead of depending on us small minded folks that work to provide it for you. Wealth is something that should be earned, not redistributed.

[trichcycler]

"If we didn't work so hard others wouldn't be able to wear pajamas at the grocery store and line their carts with diet pepsi"

[Restorium2]

Don't know and don't care butpuffer. My small mind has always been able to find or create a job so i've never had to ask for welfare. Maybe if the nanny state didn't offer it as an option people like you would sock away some cash and create your own safety net instead of depending on us small minded folks that work to provide it for you. Wealth is something that should be earned, not redistributed.

You have gotten your wish. Michigan unemployment and workers compensation are being fazed out a little at a time. Satellite offices are closing due to projected major shinkage in the numbers that qualify. The small minded run the Michigan Government at the present time and into the for seeable future. Welfare is limited to 4 years in your lifetime. We will see how this works out whether we like it or not. Cover your arses because times they are a changing. Careful what you wish for because you might actually be effected in ways you had not thought of ... no one gets to walk between the rain.

[nsmn8r]

You have gotten your wish. Michigan unemployment and workers compensation are being fazed out a little at a time. Satellite offices are closing due to projected major shinkage in the numbers that qualify. The small minded run the Michigan Government at the present time and into the for seeable future. Welfare is limited to 4 years in your lifetime. We will see how this works out whether we like it or not. Cover your arses because times they are a changing. Careful what you wish for because you might actually be effected in ways you had not thought of ... no one gets to walk between the rain.

I'm sorry man. I don't mean to sound like some kind of Republican but I see all that as good progress. It's just a start but at least we're heading in the right direction.

 

I know there are risks that come along with having less government. I've been rained on plenty myself. I've been foreclosed on and lost a house. I've been laid off and I've been fired for what I thought were unfair reasons. Instead of looking for a hand out I always just pulled up my pants and found another way to try to become successful.

 

I have a lot of friends that do take advantage of the system though and I don't begrudge them for it. Some of them spent a lifetime putting money into this giant government bureaucracy and they want to see a return on their investment. Who can blame them after years of watching other people spend that money on cigarettes and casinos. I'd get in on it myself but I have kids and I know that the next generation will still be payuing for all this.

[Restorium2]

I'm sorry man. I don't mean to sound like some kind of Republican but I see all that as good progress. It's just a start but at least we're heading in the right direction.

 

I know there are risks that come along with having less government. I've been rained on plenty myself. I've been foreclosed on and lost a house. I've been laid off and I've been fired for what I thought were unfair reasons. Instead of looking for a hand out I always just pulled up my pants and found another way to try to become successful.

 

I have a lot of friends that do take advantage of the system though and I don't begrudge them for it. Some of them spent a lifetime putting money into this giant government bureaucracy and they want to see a return on their investment. Who can blame them after years of watching other people spend that money on cigarettes and casinos. I'd get in on it myself but I have kids and I know that the next generation will still be payuing for all this.

Foreclosure? Laided off? Fired for the wrong reasons? You have been walking between the rain your whole life from my point of view.

 

That's nothing really. If you hurt yourself so bad, or have a disease that the pain makes it so you can't sleep. You can't even walk when you want to get out of bed. You have to crawl to the toilet because of the pain. It takes you half an hour to crawl there because every moves makes the pain worse. You wish you could go to work but your pain is so bad you can't even think let alone think up a money making manuever. It's very humbling. After that you don't wish away unemployment, workers comp., welfare, or any other safety net that is out there. You pray for others that have had their options taken from them by folks that have never been humble and have always been lucky enough to be able to walk between the rain. This life can be hell on Earth. 

[Restorium2]

Are you sorry when the lights begin to fade
Are you sorry for the promises you made
for the burden of the ones who had to fall
When you didn't see the writing on the wall

 

Tomorrow is the price for yesterday
A billion waves won't wash the truth away
Someday you'll be ordered to explain
No one gets to walk between the rain

 

Bob Seger

[nsmn8r]

Foreclosure? Laided off? Fired for the wrong reasons? You have been walking between the rain your whole life from my point of view.

 

That's nothing really. If you hurt yourself so bad, or have a disease that the pain makes it so you can't sleep. You can't even walk when you want to get out of bed. You have to crawl to the toilet because of the pain. It takes you half an hour to crawl there because every moves makes the pain worse. You wish you could go to work but your pain is so bad you can't even think let alone think up a money making manuever. It's very humbling. After that you don't wish away unemployment, workers comp., welfare, or any other safety net that is out there. You pray for others that have had their options taken from them by folks that have never been humble and have always been lucky enough to be able to walk between the rain. This life can be hell on Earth. 

 

Been there and done that too my friend. I am no stranger to pain. I was horizontal for most of 2007 with a blown out back.  Had a broken leg with no insurance in 2011.  That's where all that other stuff started.  The difference is that I got by with help from family and friends instead of the government.  I believe that's the way it should be.  We all take care of ourselves and our own and leave the government to do the few things it's supposed to do. 

 

If you find yourself in a bad situation and you don't have anyone in the world to help you out, you should look at the way you've lived your life.  Maybe when the welfare option is off the table more people will create their own safety nets by saving some money and taking care of those that may have to take care of them.

[+Malamute]

. 

 

If you find yourself in a bad situation and you don't have anyone in the world to help you out, you should look at the way you've lived your life.  Maybe when the welfare option is off the table more people will create their own safety nets by saving some money and taking care of those that may have to take care of them.

 

Well that is clueless. 

 

My family was all dead by the time I was 27 and I was disabled at age 31.  I should have chosen a better family? heh.  My friends "helped" but are friends supposed to support you?  Or even able to? How about everyone pitch in a few bucks and help everyone out?

 

This is about having a strong society. We can choose the basis for how our society works.  Everyone helping everyone is a much better society to live in.  I feel sorry for those that see no use in community and are laser focused on only individualism. 

 

 Government(community leadership) is merely there to oversee and implement the publics will and satisfy an acceptable level of societal functions from which we all benefit.

 

 Without support programs and oversight, society collapses.  The tragedy of commons become robust and structures deteriorate, break down and no one lives in a tolerable environment.

 

 You tell people no support when destitute,... people will lie, cheat and steal to feed their children.  It is natural.  Knowing it is natural, as a society, we provide a safety net of support to keep society from crumbling so we can maintain a better life for everyone.

 

I don't know,.... I find selfish attitudes and the overbearance of "ive got mine,  screw you" to be people I do not want in my society.  We are in this together like it or not.

[nsmn8r]

Well that is clueless. 

 

My family was all dead by the time I was 27 and I was disabled at age 31.  I should have chosen a better family? heh.  My friends "helped" but are friends supposed to support you?  Or even able to? How about everyone pitch in a few bucks and help everyone out?

 

This is about having a strong society. We can choose the basis for how our society works.  Everyone helping everyone is a much better society to live in.  I feel sorry for those that see no use in community and are laser focused on only individualism. 

 

 Government(community leadership) is merely there to oversee and implement the publics will and satisfy an acceptable level of societal functions from which we all benefit.

 

 Without support programs and oversight, society collapses.  The tragedy of commons become robust and structures deteriorate, break down and no one lives in a tolerable environment.

 

 You tell people no support when destitute,... people will lie, cheat and steal to feed their children.  It is natural.  Knowing it is natural, as a society, we provide a safety net of support to keep society from crumbling so we can maintain a better life for everyone.

 

I don't know,.... I find selfish attitudes and the overbearance of "ive got mine,  screw you" to be people I do not want in my society.  We are in this together like it or not.

Sorry to hear about your family.  I know there are situations where good people can wind up in bad situations and actually need help but there are also thousands of fat ladies sitting in the casino smoking cigarettes every time welfare payday comes around and I resent being forced by my government to fund it. 

 

I'm far from the "ive got mine, screw you" person you think I am.  I guarantee I've done more for people I don't know than most on here.  But I stand by my assertion that the government is supposed to do a very limited number of things.  Redistributing wealth isn't on the list.  That's what churches and charities are for.