Pubdate: Fri, 19 Sep 2003
Source: Daily Herald-Tribune, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 The Daily Herald-Tribune
Contact:  http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/804

MAN WITH HIV WINS HEARING ON POT-SMOKING ISSUE

EDMONTON (CP) - An HIV-positive construction worker who smokes marijuana to 
combat nausea has won a hearing before a human rights panel after he was 
denied a job for failing a drug test.

A Court of Queen's Bench justice ruled the hearing can go ahead because 
it's important to decide when restrictions on drugs or alcohol are 
legitimate job requirements.

''Frankly, I am at a loss to understand why the (company) would not wish to 
have this issue examined,'' Justice Alan Cooke wrote.

An Alberta Human Rights Commission officer had already concluded that North 
American Construction Group Inc.'s policy requiring pre-employment 
drug-screening violates provincial legislation.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens