Fire the smokers.... Looks like someone was inspired by the WTS....

by Elsewhere 29 Replies latest jw friends

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  kaykay_mp

  "That is absolutely a victory," Climes said.

  Is he on crack or something?

  laters

  kaykay_mp
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  No Apologies

  Of course its legal. No one is obligated to work for this company...
  
  Face it, smokers are costing us all money. This company has just found a way to trim their health care costs, which EVERY company wants to do, because these costs are skyrocketing.
  
  Is it right? Maybe not. Is it fair? Probably not, but what is?
  
  
  
  
• 

  IronGland

  Face it, smokers are costing us all money. This company has just found a way to trim their health care costs, which EVERY company wants to do, because these costs are skyrocketing.

  Their rates are higher and they die sooner. Less pension. Less Social Security. Health nuts who just wont die and draw social security and medicare for 20-30 yrs are the money drain.
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  Eyebrow2

  SOme smokers I worked with awhile ago were outside smoking at least 4times aday, and gone 10 to 15 minutes each time. This was besides their hour lunch break. But this particular group were lazy anyway...it didn't have much to do with them smoking. That was just the excuse to get outside and not work for a bit.

  I have worked with other smokers who only smoke during lunch breaks or other break times, and never took more time than other employees.

  I bet the company saved a mint though. Health insurance is so damned expensive, companies have to see where they can costs without killing good benefits for employees. I don't think it is necessarily fair, but if I were the owner, and was faced with cutting benefits for everyone, or giving a small group the choice to smoke or be laid off, than I think I would do it.

  By the way, I am curious if these guys were actually fired or laid off, I am speaking in terms of unemployment insurance. If they are reported as being fired for cause, than they are gonna get screwed on unemployment benes.
• 

  Eyebrow2

  by the way....I wonder when companies are going to start telling the obese in their companies to shape up or ship out. Conditions relating to the overweight can be quite a drain on employers some time.

  (i hope I don't offend anyone out their with this comment...I am over weight myself...I think with how "big" the US population has gotten, it is going to be addressed at some point)
• 

  fairchild

  (Frenchbabyface) That reminds me something ... a manager got statistic that a smoker lose 6 minutes on a day job for smoking (I've thought that actually it was a very low ... I spend much more ) but as she was a very big coffee drinker I've asked her how much time she was loosing all day getting her coffees and coffee talks - 15 to 20 minutes each times for real 4 to 6 if not more times a day (when she should be working) ... but oh well

  True. Years ago, I read somewhere that several Japanese companies give and extra week vacation to their non smoking employees because that's about what a smoker loses by going outside every once in a while to smoke a cigarette. Where I work, people go outside for a smoke at least twice every hour. One of my co workers recently got fired for going out for a smoke every 15 minutes.
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  maybesbabies

  Sorry, but not all smokers are lazy!! This is one of my biggest pet peeves, to hear that smokers waste so much time. BS!!! I smoke on my two breaks a day and at lunch, and take no more time than anyone else, who also get two 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch. It just rips me so bad that for some reason people associate being a smoker with being a slacker. While the company in the article were within their rights, it still irks me that they did this. Just because someone smokes doesn't mean that they are less than others, and I agree with whoever it was that said they should just add a rider to their policy stating that smoking related costs will not be covered. Sounds like someone just wanted to make an issue out of it, it's not really about the health care costs.
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  undercover

  Sorry, but not all smokers are lazy!!

  No, they're not lazy, they just can't catch their breath which gives the impression of laziness.
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  William Penwell

  I think this one will be overturned being "Unconstitutional".

  Will
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  toreador

  I wish they would outlaw smoking the US wide.