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Is Smoking a Firing Offense? »
Posted by: andie483 2 years, 4 months agoBeing fired for having nicotine in your system? That's ridiculous. Overweight? Bosses are trying to cut down on workers for ridiculous reasons.
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Comments: 345
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blackandwhitekitty
July 18, 2006, 2:40 p.m.Generally speaking, the average American employee is pretty stupid. They don't understand the implication of working in a state governed by "at will" laws. If they don't like what is happening, they'll just have to become more politically active and get these laws changed.
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Montana43
July 18, 2006, 2:46 p.m.As usual Corporate America is continuing to think like a rock
when it comes to employee rights and privileges. It seems
they have, for quite some time now, been suffering from Illusions Of Grandeur. I do not smoke, but, would defend smokers rights to kill themselves if they want to. I see
some problems for the employer, but to fire someone for having nicotine in their system. Corporate America is getting way to powerful, Especially Family Dollar. It seems they have angered the NAACP, and lost 38% of their workforce in Fla in some ridiculous manuever such as this. They are incredibly powerful, (worth a cool Billion) and treat their employees like dirt. Jeb is afraid of them!
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hellrider
July 18, 2006, 2:49 p.m.Its the employers business. He should be able to decide whi he wabts working for him. I work for a company,who's policy is employees can't smoke a were on property. As long as your hiring abd firing isn't based on race or gender, its legal
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thefrostedone
July 18, 2006, 2:53 p.m.To Blackandwhitekitty:
You are correct, when it comes to becoming active. The big problem is that with white christian America. we have to be careful not to offend ANY other ethnic culture lest we get hit with the race card. In the land of fruits and nuts, 28% of the eligible voter population turned out, so you see with that kind of turnout for any "activism" the minority rules. And We the Law abiding citizens no longer have any rights, whether it be Corporate America or Political America, only the criminals and neer-do-wells have rights. Sadly the situation is only getting worse. And to Montant43 You are also correct and Political America is the same way, Again, here in the land of fruits and nuts, just about the whole state has banned smoking, but I never hear squat about the little rug rats who scream and run amok at the resturants where you go for meals.... isn't that interesting..
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NOTShane_Coffey2
July 18, 2006, 2:54 p.m.Scott's Lawn company in Marysville, Ohio has a rule that you can't smoke if you work there.
People ask what about smokers right, who cares about their rights. The majority of Americans don't smoke and what about our rights not to have to smell that nasty crap.
This is how you fix the obesity problem and the energy problem at the same time. First buy a million excercise bikes, then attach them to electric generators. Next make it a law that every able bodied adult have to ride the bike for at least one half hour every day. Two problems solved and I did it for free.
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smyrnagal
Nov. 30, 2006, 7:59 p.m.Last time I heard, America IS NOT a Communist country. Maybe
you should consider moving to Germany or Russia since you believe Employers should tell you how to live.
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hellrider
July 18, 2006, 2:56 p.m.Does Employee have any rights? They have the right to get a pay check thats all. All the employer has to do is pay min wage.
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thefrostedone
July 18, 2006, 2:59 p.m.To hellrider: true it's the employers business, but race and gender are not the only criteria..Sexual orientation is now part of the hiring process as well specially here in the land of fruits and nuts. Basically, the employer has no rights either. The company I used to work for Banned Smoking in June 1994, which is the same year that Billary decided to add more tax to cigarettes, and 85% of Social Security Benefits, so I just quit, because it was my way of protest against the additional tax on cigarettes, Amazing how much extra cash I now have to spend on neat things like tools. The only reason Marijuana is not legal is because the Government can't tax it, unlike Booze and Smokes among other things.
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thefrostedone
July 18, 2006, 3:01 p.m.Shane Coffey has it right, Smokers have no rights, nor do christians, taxpayers, and others. The only ones who have rights are the illegals, criminals, and left wingers.
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honest
July 18, 2006, 3:02 p.m.The whole of the american society is becoming more and more of a few thinking that they have some right to tell others what to do. I have refused ****** tests many times even when I knew without a doubt that I could pass, and my feelings on it are real simple if you want to test me to find out if I am under the influence while I am working fine but the way the test are currently set up if I smoke a joint you can test me two months later and I will fail, what I do in my off time is my business not yours the government or the churches the fact that I smoke should only be an issue if it affects my job performance, smoking, drinking, gambling these things are called vices well this belief that anyone has the right to tell someone else what to do when they arent hurting anyone else is a very sick vice! These people who think this is right need to remember that the revolutionary war was fought because the king and church of england thought they had the god given right to tell people what to do
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blackandwhitekitty
July 18, 2006, 3:04 p.m.The underlying problem is health insurance costs and who pays the bill. Corporations who want to control their health insurance costs should simply give their employees the employers health care contribution and ask that the employee use the money for health insurance, and maybe provide assistance in getting good group rates. The health care insurance system is a mess, and employers contribute to making it worse in all kinds of ways. They should get out of the business of negotiating health care packages because they often go for a low cost solution, or at least one that the employees themselves would not select.
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Bobcat6
July 18, 2006, 3:06 p.m.Whether you're smoking, on drugs, or drinking, you're probably addicted to something and that should not be allowed. Sure smokers have rights but so do non smokers. As long as people keep it inside their home and not out in public is fine w/me.
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BarkingSpider
July 18, 2006, 3:22 p.m.Lets face it .. everyone knows that smoking and being way over weight is bad for your health .. If they still want to smoke thats fine .. let them work at a place where there is not a rule about it .. If they dont care about there health then why should other people care about how much money they make, let them work at McDonalds or be a dishwasher ... If they really care about there job then they will quit smoking .. I smoked for over 30 yrs and I quit over 4 yrs ago with no help from anything ... If someone really wants to quit they will .. But everyone thats says there trying to quit and deep down they really dont want to will use all kinds of excuses why they couldnt! .. maybe this will give people more reason to quit smoking! and that would be better for them in the long run.
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honest
July 18, 2006, 3:23 p.m.And on the flip side what about the employer who smokes and says well I smoke therefore if you want to work for me you must smoke how long do you think that would last?
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honest
July 18, 2006, 3:27 p.m.Barking you are right if I want to quit I will but you or anyone else has no right to tell me to... I believe autos are the single most serious health risk there is so you all start walking
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ameliog
July 18, 2006, 3:27 p.m.I see it time and again - the owner or top dogs of a company live so much better than the people that labor to produce the products or services. Disproportionately so. They keep workers in fear by threatening layoffs or outsourcing if workers don't follow along with their policies. They eliminate pensions, or simply steal them. They reduce their healthcare contribution and make their employees take up the slack. They create and fund "at-will" legislation.
For all these things, there are nuckleheads screeching that the employee should be thankful for the great priviledge of being allowed to work under these increasingly one-sided conditions. Feudalism.
Owners need employees or else no business output. Sure, the owners often put their finances at risk to be owners - execs are another matter - but that isn't the only factor. They need employees or else no business output. Their great fear is that some day all the worker-bees will realize they have some leverage too.
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BarkingSpider
July 18, 2006, 3:33 p.m.hey Honest ... I didnt tell you to quit .. Why do i care if you want to smoke as long as its done not around other people that don't smoke? Its not my lungs or money being spent on it! .. so Power to you Honest go light one up!
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NOTShane_Coffey2
July 18, 2006, 3:38 p.m.Workers need rights such as FMLA, or rights governing wages, and overtime laws. Plus we need laws laws governing child labor laws, race, religion, and sex. No where, I mean no where in this world do we need laws protecting smokers or fat people or peoples sexual orientation. Stop smoking, get on a treadmill, and sleep with the opposite sex. Your life will be better, due to less stress, healthy body and people won't look at you like you are a leper.
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ameliog
July 18, 2006, 3:42 p.m.Since the corporate class has bought their way into government, they now establish the rules of the game and the playing field is not nearly the equal opportunity that we are led to believe.
The current working-class stiff lives from paycheck to paycheck. It usually takes both spouses to afford a house, car payments, and living expenses. It gets worse if they have children. Having time or money left over to create their own business to be competitive and make a living from is pretty remote.
The statistics against small start-ups surviving show this reality. It can still be done, but the deck is stacked against the majority. Corporations do not want too much freedom in a free market or else it erodes their endless, morally deficient quest for more and more profit.
Deep down, we know these things to be true, but we've been fed pro-management and pro-corporation advertising for so long we're becoming impotent to take back fairness.
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stuff happens
July 18, 2006, 3:44 p.m.The biggest problem with smoking in a work place is the fact that you are affect the other people working with you by smoking near them or your cloths smelling of smoke. If you smoke in your home or away from people thats alright cuse your only killing yourself, but when your near other people that is when it becomes a problem. I have asthma and have lived with smokers before and personly its the most discusting thing ever and I had a problem that I'm dieing faster then the person smoking and the place smelt horible and I never invited any of my friends over because of it. Getting back to the workplace if I'm working with a person who smokes and I am smelling that crap it effects my work production. Also how well is a person who has a hard time breathing normaly going to be affected when there is the smell or smoke near them. This is where I think the employer has the right to fire the person when his companys production is being limited because of this persons habbit.
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honest
July 18, 2006, 3:45 p.m.Barking no offense intended my point is that some people smoke some drink me personally one of my greatest joys is catching a buzz and playing frisbee with my dogs, it just seems to me that this trend of ceo`s, religious leaders, and politicians, to tell their fellow man what they can and cant do on their own time should also be recognized for what it is they get off on the power trip and unlike my vices which harm no one but me that particular vice does hurt me because it is taking away my enjoyment of life.
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honest
July 18, 2006, 3:59 p.m.and to stuff happens as far as I know no one on this thread has suggested smoking in the work place the testing me to find out what I do at home is my complaint.. secondly the health care issue doesn't fly with me either as a person who worked his self into three back surgeries fifteen years ago it has been a long time since I even bothered to apply to a company that offers health care all this crap about how you cant be discriminated against for health reasons is just that CRAP I do contract work and carry my own insurance
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stuff happens
July 18, 2006, 4:02 p.m.For those people who are saying that the head office has to much power and they think that they are the best and better then the workers. They are right, they are the best. They didn't wake up one day and say "today I'm going to be the head of a company that makes over 1 billion dollers every year." They woke up one day with a dream to creat something that will help people (give people jobs). The working class think that they do all the work but the owner of that buissness created that with money out of their pocket and did all that work themselves with out the help of expensive machines to get that buissness to where its at. So don't think that they are doing nothing they are doing and have done more then most working people will do in their lifetimes. The boss being able to sit in his office and talk on a phone all day or go out golfing is his payment for creating his buissness and getting people jobs so don't say that they are full of crap and are lazy.
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BarkingSpider
July 18, 2006, 4:03 p.m.Honest .. no offence back at you ... you have the right to do what you want .. but sometimes having that right will make people have to decide what they want .. enjoyment or there job .. if you enjoy something so much then do it .. they have done research on this and the majority of people that smoke call in sick more than people that dont smoke ... causing the employer to either loose production or pay someone overtime to cover for them so it cost them more .. So companies should have the right to determine what kind of people they want working for them .. and if someone smokes and there told they need to quit smoking or loose there job .. then it is up to them to decide which is more important .. enjoyment or that Job.
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