Michael Colpitts v. W.B. Mason Co., Inc.

Outcome

Excerpt

The plaintiff, Michael Colpitts, appealed from a November 8, 2018 judgment of the Providence County Superior Court in favor of the defendant, W.B. Mason Co., Inc. (W.B. Mason). The plaintiff alleged that W.B. Mason had violated the Rhode Island employer drug testing statute, G.L. 1956 § 28-6.5-1(a)(1), when, on March 5, 2018, the company required him to take a drug test, purportedly without reasonable grounds, and ultimately terminated him for his refusal to do so. On appeal, the plaintiff contended that the issue was whether or not the trial justice erred in "finding that WB Mason Co[.], Inc. had reasonable grounds [pursuant to § 28-6.5-1(a)(1)] to believe, based on specific aspects of [Mr. Colpitts's] performance and specific documented observations, concerning Michael Colpitts['s] appearance, behavior and speech, that he might have been under the influence of a controlled substance." The Supreme Court held that, based on the testimony elicited at trial, the trial justice did not abuse her discretion in determining that, on the basis of contemporaneous observations of Mr. Colpitts's appearance, behavior, and speech, W.B. Mason had reasonable grounds on which to believe that Mr. Colpitts was under the influence of a controlled substance and to request that he undergo a drug test. Accordingly, the Court affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court.