Already forced to deal with a myriad of issues on an everyday basis, contractors in two states recently added another to the list: marijuana. Colorado and Washington residents voted to legalize the drug last November and HVAC contractors in both states are examining hiring policies, as well as informing their employees of the dangers and risks of employment under the influence.
“It’s a surprising event,” said Kandi Crawford, president, Air Systems Engineering Inc., Tacoma, Wash. “Personally, I think it just impacts the state in a negative way for businesses because of some extra considerations. Doing business in the state of Washington is challenging enough. We have some state requirements that are just different than other places, and this is just another issue we have to deal with.”