Do you smoke? Yes? You're fired.

[NAD]

Dammit, I hate news. Fuck news.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4213441.stm

US staff lose jobs over smoke ban
Four workers in the United States have lost their jobs after refusing to take a test to see if they were smokers.

They were employees of Michigan-based healthcare firm Weyco, which introduced a policy banning its staff from smoking - even away from the workplace.

The firm says the ban is to keep health costs down and has helped 14 staff to stop smoking, but opponents say the move is a violation of workers' rights.

If the firm survives a potential legal challenge, it could set a precedent.

Weyco gave its staff a stark ultimatum at the end of last year - either stop smoking completely on 1 January or leave their jobs.

The four workers who refused to take the test left their jobs voluntarily, although a lawyer for Weyco confirmed the company was preparing to dismiss them.

The firm says that, as its business is to help other firms save money and improve employee health through its benefit plans, it is only natural it should take a lead on the issue.

"For every smoker who quits because of it, there will be many people - family members, friends, co-workers - who are very thankful the person won't be going to an early grave," said Weyco President Howard Weyers, in a message on its website.

Eating habits

But opponents say it is a violation of workers' rights to indulge whatever habits they choose to when they are off-duty, particularly as smoking is legal and does not impair people's ability to do their jobs.

According to Reuters news agency, Mr Weyers wants to turn his attention next to overweight workers.

"We have to work on eating habits and getting people to exercise. But if you're obese, you're (legally) protected," he said.

The BBC's Jannat Jalil in Washington says that if the firm survives any future legal challenges, it could set a precedent for other companies to follow suit.

"Certainly it raises an interesting boundary issue," job placement specialist John Challenger told Reuters. "Rising healthcare costs and society's aversion to smoking versus privacy and freedom rights of an individual."

 

[Krilons Resa]

I thought smoking was legal?


Adrian, do yourself a favor and stay the fuck away from the news.

 

[mousewings]

Isn't that against fair employment rules. Eek, next they'll be canning people for being atheist *looks around scared*

 

[J.]

I think it's awesome. I hope more companies adopt it. Smoking sucks. I hate being stuck in an elevator with a stinky smoker. Take the fucking stairs, you reek!

 

[Krilons Resa]

I think it's awesome. I hope more companies adopt it. Smoking sucks. I hate being stuck in an elevator with a stinky smoker. Take the fucking stairs, you reek!

Dude, no disrespect, but you're a complete fucking moron if you think your opinion on smoking should be imposed on people's lives. It's a matter of personal freedom. Just because they smoke cigarrettes outside of work, doesn't mean that they cannot perform their job at peak levels, unless the job includes major athleticism, which I'm pretty sure most of the jobs above are mere, mundane desk jobs.

The entire fucking insurance business a fucking joke. They could give a fuck about their employees and/or clients health. They just want to save a buck or two.

 

[J.]

Yeah, but I'm the person that breathes the smoke when these people go out to a restaurant or wherever. That's imposing.

If it gets rid of smoking, right or wrong, I'm all for it.

 

[SonOfNun]

This society has become a bunch of whiny fucking bitches and some people have to take the heat. It's really rather pathetic that people can be fired for smoking at their personal home when it doesn't affect their ability to work. When did smokers become such a threat to society? Really, anti-smoking people need to grow the fuck up. Your not going to die from second hand smoke if you have to breathe it for 5 seconds, quit bitching. When did people's personal habits become anyone elses business? If you claim that smoking is gross or that its going to kill you to be around minor amounts of smoke, gimme a break. People have a lot nastier habits than smoking and the people whining about it fit right in there. Or maybe I just don't care because I have sense enough to live far away from a big city where everyone is clusterfucked into one little area and have to put up with each other's idiosyncrasies.

Also, these guilt trip ads on TV are hilarious. The truth commercials are a fucking riot. EVERYONE on the planet knows that smoking isn't healthy, so let's go around spending a lot of time and money to tell everyone about it. Then the PETA commercials. Vegetarians. What did Ron White say, something like "We didn't climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots." Fuckin' A, and your not going to stop people from eating beef, etc. because you show a pig dying on TV. These ads just try to make people feel guilty, but are just pretty dumb in the end. How about you put your time into something worthwhile?

 

[NAD]

Adrian, do yourself a favor and stay the fuck away from the news.

Amen brother.

Ron White fucking ROCKS.

 

[Ayeka]

I think it's awesome. I hope more companies adopt it. Smoking sucks. I hate being stuck in an elevator with a stinky smoker. Take the fucking stairs, you reek!

Dude, if you're so healthy, you should take the stairs!

That news is really gay. I think we should all go and beat up non-smokers in protest. After all, by smoking, we pay extra tax and support our country more than those selfish, tight-fisted non-smokers!
Oh yeah, that passive smoke fuss is a load of crap. If you whine about having to breathe it, chances are you probably fart your ass off at times anyway. Stop whining.

 

[Nate The Great]

When it comes to an employer that has to help pay for an employee's health care, I think the employer has a right to tell the employee to stop smoking, lose some weight, go get some therapy, etc. This isn't a case of an employer not liking smoking. The employer simply wants to miminize health care costs. Its a fact that smokers' health care is WAY higher than non-smokers'.

 

[J.]

Excellent point, Nate. Or, if they want to keep smoking, just take more out of their paychecks to compensate for the more expensive health care.

 

[Demonspell]

I'm all for a smoke-free workplace and don't think simply encouraging people to quit imposes on their rights, but threatening to lay people off for smoking in private is ridiculous...as for second hand smoke, I find it annoying but usually don't make any uproar about it.

 

[JayKeeley]

Also, these guilt trip ads on TV are hilarious. The truth commercials are a fucking riot. EVERYONE on the planet knows that smoking isn't healthy, so let's go around spending a lot of time and money to tell everyone about it.

Heh, that's actually imposed upon Philip Morris through the lawsuit. They are legally bound to support thetruth.com. I know it sounds crazy, but imagine being a manufactuer of a product that knowingly kills people, you tell them that it's going to kill you (on the box itself!), and yet they STILL go on buying it. Amazing. It defies all laws of economics, because this is a multi-billion $ industry.

Ozzy Osbourne once said that giving up heroin was easier than giving up cigarettes. I used to smoke regularly, but then quit. Or now I smoke when I have a few beers. I think the last time I smoked was when NAD was in town!

Or, if they want to keep smoking, just take more out of their paychecks to compensate for the more expensive health care.

THAT's what they should have done. And actually, I'm surprised they didn't already. We all know that when we fill out our beneifts forms, we have to indicate whether we smoke or not. The insurance cost fluctuates accordingly.

But to fire people because they smoke at home, on their own time. I smell a lawsuit, and it's not the smokers getting fucked here. Any lawyer in the country would take this case.

 

[jimbobhickville]

The laws in the US say that if you provide health care to your employees, it has to be at the same cost for every person. The total cost of everyone is split evenly among all employees, contingent only upon the number of insured individuals on their policy. So, get a few smokers on there whose insurance rates are significantly higher, and everyone's rates go up. I bet the move is saving company and the employees boatloads of cash.

Smokers are not a protected class. Only things that you have no choice in are protected, such as race, age, and gender. I don't see how the company could lose this lawsuit, but maybe Michigan has tighter employment laws than Utah.

I could go off on my personal opinion of smoking, but that would lead into a flame war.

 

[SonOfNun]

Heh, that's actually imposed upon Philip Morris through the lawsuit. They are legally bound to support thetruth.com. I know it sounds crazy, but imagine being a manufactuer of a product that knowingly kills people, you tell them that it's going to kill you (on the box itself!), and yet they STILL go on buying it. Amazing. It defies all laws of economics, because this is a multi-billion $ industry.

That's what I found so ridiculous about the commercials. It is clearly stated on the box itself and is a well-known fact to any living person that cigarettes are not the healthiest thing on the planet, yet these truth folks decided to parade around on a quest to spread that knowledge. I had no idea that it had anything to do with a lawsuit though, that's funny and kind of retarded at the same time.

 

[J.]

Smokers are not a protected class. Only things that you have no choice in are protected, such as race, age, and gender. I don't see how the company could lose this lawsuit, but maybe Michigan has tighter employment laws than Utah.

If this is true, then the smokers' lawsuit, which will probably be represented by the ACLU, is up Shit Creek without a paddle.

If the company wins, look for many more companies to adopt such a practice.

Just quit smoking and there you go.

 

[NAD]

Some of you fuckers aren't concerned enough about a police state, at least in the workplace.

Today no smoking, tomorrow no cookies, the next day no hamburgers, after that no unprotected sex, then goes the beer, and then before you know it, Hawaiin shirt day will be gone. GONE!

 

[J.]

If it helps make my health insurance "contribution" go down, in turn putting more of my earned money in my pocket, then I'm all for smoke testing.

 

[NAD]

I can't wait until the US just completely eliminates health care so people like me can save $11 every week. I need that money, I really do.

It's gonna be fuckin' great.

 

[Reign in Acai]

I detest smoking. No offense to anyone on the board. But I think smokers are some of the weakest minded fucks on the planet. (Oh let me put this tobacco to my lips and smoke my health away.) Nobody wants to breathe this fucking crap. Obviously smokers want to quit. But they don't have the will to do so. Who wants rotten teeth? Who wants to smell like an ashtray? Who wants to have phlegm deposits? Smokers started smoking to be mr Joe Cool. I picture them as Joe Fool. Meaningless fucking habit.

Nevertheless, regardless of my opinion on the habitual retardation of smokers. This is the most absurd story I ever heard! If smokers want to smoke in their personal lives. Then let them. This is a total infringement on people's rights. Hell the United States was practically built on the back of tobacco farming.