WILLIAMSPORT – A Renovo man claims First Quality Tissue in Lock Haven violated the Americans with Disabilities and Pennsylvania Human Relations acts when they fired him for using medical marijuana.
Kevin Dennis says in a suit filed Monday in U.S. Middle District Court he was told Sept. 14, 2020, after flunking a drug test to turn in his badge and not to return to work until further notice.
According to the court complaint, Dennis was hired July 8, 2019, as warehouse worker and in July 2020 was prescribed medical marijuana to treat facial neuropathy, anxiety and depression.
At no time did he report to work while under the influence, and using medical marijuana did not affect his job performance, he says.
First Quality in early September 2020 learned of his prescription and demanded he take a drug test, Dennis says.
He complied but reminded all present it would come back positive because he was using medical marijuana, the court complaint states.
The test was positive, and then he was told not to report until further notice, the suit states.
Dennis says he asked First Quality to engage in an interactive process to determine if his use of medical marijuana could be granted but instead was fired.
The suit seeks lost past and future earnings and benefits, unspecified compensatory and punitive damages plus additional damages for emotional distress.
Dennis also has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the document states.
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