Should Smokers Be Fired?

**barbaro** · 20-02-2007, 05:52 PM

It's happening now in the U.S.
--

Get healthy — or else

Inside one company's all-out attack on medical costs

Feb 19, 2007

But on Sept. 1 — which happened to be his 30th birthday—Rodrigues was fired. "Why?" he asked. "You failed your drug test," the boss replied. Rodrigues insisted it had to be a mistake. He didn't even keep beer in the fridge. Then his boss told him the drug was nicotine. "Five years ago, if you had told me, Hey, you better quit smoking or you might not get a job,' I would have laughed. Here I am five years later, and I can't get a job."

Link & Entire: A company says get healthy - or else - BusinessWeek Online - MSNBC.com

**stroller** · 20-02-2007, 06:17 PM

I don't see how the use of fully legalised substances in one's leisuretime could be a reason for dismissal.
What about people ruining their health with sugared coffee, which many indulge in during working hours?

**Skulldigger** · 20-02-2007, 06:24 PM

Not to mention all the fatsos who cannot control their food intake. Or those who have a tendency towards depression, gambling, inflated sense of ego, deviant sexual practices...

Where are those clones when you need them, eh?

**Marmite the Dog** · 20-02-2007, 07:06 PM

I wish I lived in the Land of the Free... (the other one that is).

It's funny how those countries that blow their own trumpets about being bastions of freedom are anything but.

**stroller** · 20-02-2007, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I wish I lived in the Land of the Free...

I don't...

I am quite curious to go and visit, but I'm afraid of what they might do to me. Isn't it the country where Muslims conduct their Jihad in shopping malls and Christians unload their rifles unto other Christians in churches, Holocaust deniers who suscribe to San Fransisco values attack the unsuspecting in hotel elevators and stuff like this?

**blackgang** · 20-02-2007, 08:14 PM

Yea, same place where Shirtsak wants the govt to control what kind and size car you can drive too.

**MeMock** · 20-02-2007, 08:28 PM

I dont care about health I care about time wasting. If I am chosing between offering the job to a smoker to a non smoker then non smoker will get it every time. I get more work out of them, simple as that.

**man with no head** · 20-02-2007, 08:32 PM

I think it steps outside the boundary of an employee-employer relationship to regulate what an employee may legally do in their off-time.

**barbaro** · 20-02-2007, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I wish I lived in the Land of the Free... (the other one that is).

It's funny how those countries that blow their own trumpets about being bastions of freedom are anything but.

Absolutely.

The American public is so easy to hoodwink.

"Freedom," they say.

But they've never lived in another country.

In many ways, I have more freedom where I live now, outside of the U.S. as in opening a business, doing certain things, less bureaucracy, the regulations, etc.

Many of the British folks I know don't like certain things happening in the UK, either.

**sabang** · 20-02-2007, 09:45 PM

Expats are much more free than residents of their native country, one reason we like it so much.
The case above presents a brilliant opportunity for a smart lawyer on a contingency basis to make his name and fortune (it is the US). Those are clear grounds for a discrimination suit.

**RandomChances** · 21-02-2007, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by MeMock

I dont care about health I care about time wasting. If I am chosing between offering the job to a smoker to a non smoker then non smoker will get it every time. I get more work out of them, simple as that.

Do you ask them if they drink tea or coffe, play crosswords, read neawpapers ect smoking is just one way to "waste" time if employed, there are many others

**MeMock** · 21-02-2007, 05:10 AM

^

Nope because drinking tea and coffee is always done at their desk whilst continuing to work and noone does crosswords anymore. To smoke they have to down tools and go out side. I have one worker who smokes approx 10 a day during work hours. 10 x 5 mins = 50 mins x 5 days = 250 mins x $25 per hour = approx $100 a week. Thats over $5000 a year to have a staff member not only slack off but also stink to high heaven everytime she re-enters the office.

No thank you.

**Boon Mee** · 21-02-2007, 08:09 AM

The smoke Nazis are everywhere in the US.
Don't even think about lighting up in California.
Going to get like Singapore pretty soon...

**RandomChances** · 21-02-2007, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by MeMock

Nope because drinking tea and coffee is always done at their desk whilst continuing to work and noone does crosswords anymore. To smoke they have to down tools and go out side. I have one worker who smokes approx 10 a day during work hours. 10 x 5 mins = 50 mins x 5 days = 250 mins x $25 per hour = approx $100 a week. Thats over $5000 a year to have a staff member not only slack off but also stink to high heaven everytime she re-enters the office.

No thank you.

The simple solution would be to just tell her that is she want to smoke then she has to do it on her own time, ie lunch, breaks ect

**MeMock** · 21-02-2007, 09:55 AM

Which then creates conflict and means having a shaking basket case trying to work waiting for her next break.

Obviously I have smokers working for me but given the chance I would never hire one.

**stroller** · 21-02-2007, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

The smoke Nazis are everywhere in the US.
Don't even think about lighting up in California.

S.F. values, eh?

**Boon Mee** · 21-02-2007, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by stroller

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

The smoke Nazis are everywhere in the US.
Don't even think about lighting up in California.

S.F. values, eh?

I suppose if you light up a Dooby in SF, it's OK...

**Wallace** · 21-02-2007, 10:34 AM

I think all prospective employees should have their homes investigated. Anyone who has 'bad taste' shouldn't get the job. This would include white y fronts instead of boxer shorts, plastic house plants, and any Friends videos or DVDs.

They should also submit a list of all movies and books they have watched and read over the last 12 months. If any of the movies are sequels (except Star Wars), or have Adam Sandler in them, no job. Likewise, if any books are not recognised as works of literature (as defined by me), then, again, no job.

Any also anyone who is fat and doesn't drink beer, wine, or gin and tonic, can't get the job on the grounds that they'd be too slow to get down the pub on a Friday to buy me a drink.

**Lily** · 21-02-2007, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

Which then creates conflict and means having a shaking basket case trying to work waiting for her next break.

Well thats not true Meemock.

It is a habit like any other and if you are not in the habit of smoking during working hours, you won't even miss it.

If the time lost bothers you, you should put a limit on how many times she can leave the office or ban it altogether.

**MeMock** · 21-02-2007, 04:59 PM

They are in the habbit already and it will cause conflict if i change it. Not to mention the 'outrage' it would cause in a small community like mine.

Staff are like hens teeth here and you dont rock the boat in case you lose them. Just better if in future i dont emply a smoker.

**Little Chuchok** · 21-02-2007, 05:17 PM

^ interesting.

The last job I had in NZ,I suppose I would take off about 1/2-3/4 an hour a day to have a fag outside.I used to get to work at 7AM,eat lunch in my office and leave around 6.30PM.

The bloke who owned the biz never complained once....

**MeMock** · 21-02-2007, 05:31 PM

^

If you were doing those sort of hours I wouldn't complain at all either. My smoker starts at 8am has an hour for lunch and finishes at 4.30pm.

**ChiangMai noon** · 21-02-2007, 05:44 PM

It was always my dream to be a journalist Memock.

Do you have any jobs?
I'd prefer to cover cricket but would be willing to try anything.

i promise to quit smoking.

**William** · 21-02-2007, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

They are in the habbit already and it will cause conflict if i change it. Not to mention the 'outrage' it would cause in a small community like mine.

Staff are like hens teeth here and you dont rock the boat in case you lose them. Just better if in future i dont emply a smoker.

I see where you are coming from mate, but some of my most creative moments come (a) in the bath; and (b) when I'm having a smoke. Because you light up, don't mean you turn off.

In my own case, I don;t think I could continue the hours I do without coffee and a smoke. Walking, talking ulcer me

**RDN** · 23-02-2007, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by MeMock

I dont care about health I care about time wasting. If I am choosing between offering the job to a smoker to a non smoker then non smoker will get it every time. I get more work out of them, simple as that.

Totally agree. One of my managers, engineers and several other staff used to meet outside every hour or so for a 10 to 30 minute break. It was basically a "smokers" club - and whenever I happened to overhear what they were talking about, it usually was not work. Just a total waste of time.

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