More Smoking News: Quit or Lose Your Job

[Honeykiss1974]

Company demands workers give up smoking to keep jobs


MARYSVILLE, Ohio Quit smoking, or you're fired.

That's what Scotts Miracle-Gro is telling it employees. If they don't quit smoking by October, they'll lose their jobs.

The lawn and garden company is trying to keep health insurance costs down by promoting healthy lifestyles for its employees.

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4228077

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My first job out of college was with a company that didn't allow its employees to smoke during their "off hours" either for insurance purposes.

I don't smoke, but shoot....betweenstuff like this and the city-wide smoking bans, can you even smoke on earth anymore?

[aephi alum]

This is not the first company to enact this rule.

I'd be interested to know if the company is putting any programs in place to help smokers quit. Quitting isn't easy. Is the company helping employees find quit-smoking resources, or is it just hanging them out to dry?

[angelic1]

My company has a program to help you quit smoking in order to help insurance costs.

I forget all the details, but after 6 months of not smoking (they test you to make sure) they will give you like $1000. Then for every consecutive 6 months later you get $500 for the next two years I think.

I find it to be complete bs, I understand that it will help insurance, but I dont find it fair that just bc you smoke they will give you all this extra money. A lot of people just quit for 6 months got paid $1000 then started smoking again. I think I know of only a few who actually have quit since this program other than taking advantage of it.

[Tom Earp]

Ah, The Hypocrosy of it all!

Sinners in the Eyes of The Rightous do not stand a chance!


Sins:

Dont Smoke!

Dont Drink Alchohol!

Dont Have Sex!

Hell, what else is there?

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Ah, The Hypocrosy of it all!

Sinners in the Eyes of The Rightous do not stand a chance!


Sins:

Dont Smoke!

Dont Drink Alchohol!

Dont Have Sex!

Hell, what else is there?

Don't eat steak and onion blossoms!
Don't beat your children!

-Rudey

[Tom Earp]

Rudey, dont do those two, but do at least two of the three I posted!

Maturity SUCKS!

[AGDee]

I think this a dangerous precedent, just as I did when the last company that did this got media coverage about it. The biggest fear would be, Where does it end? It starts with the smokers and before you know it, if you eat more than so many grams of fat or sugar a day, or if you don't participate in the company exercise program, or if you drink on weekends, use real butter, over cook your meat on the grill (nitrates have been shown to cause cancer), engage in high risk sports like sky diving, bungie jumping???? At what point is your employer pushing it too far?

How about this.. insurance won't cover smoking related illnesses. Wouldn't that have the same effect and make people responsible for their own behavior? Or, have the smokers pay more of the share of their insurance? Why fire them?

When the smokers have all quit, the rest better look out, because they will start a witch hunt for a new group then.and everybody else will have to cover the taxes that smokers are currently paying

[Private I]

I hear that at FSU they passed a law that by 2010 no-one can smoke on the campus anymore, period (not just 500 ft. away from buildings, etc). I know a lot of chain-smokin professors that will be pretty darn frustrated if that really happens...

[Kevin]

Dangerous precedent? As an employer, I would prefer healthy employees who don't have to call in sick because of the recurring upper respiratory infections that they keep getting due to smoking. I'd prefer not to have to pay their higher healthcare costs, It would annoy me to see them taking 15 minute breaks every 30 minutes, and I don't like the smell.

I think this company has every right to select their employees based on whatever criteria as long as it's not illegal discrimination (and cigarette smokers are not a protected class by any stretch).

[AOIIBrandi]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Dangerous precedent? As an employer, I would prefer healthy employees who don't have to call in sick because of the recurring upper respiratory infections that they keep getting due to smoking. I'd prefer not to have to pay their higher healthcare costs, It would annoy me to see them taking 15 minute breaks every 30 minutes, and I don't like the smell.

I think this company has every right to select their employees based on whatever criteria as long as it's not illegal discrimination (and cigarette smokers are not a protected class by any stretch).

Ditto...

Plus at some point the higher healthcare costs that the employer has to pay also trickle down to ALL of the employees as higher premiums.

[33girl]

When we do claims analysis for our clients, the greatest majority of claims are OBESITY RELATED. Not lung cancer, not emphysema - OBESITY and conditions stemming from it like heart disease. And this is in areas where lots of people smoke.

Claims are what make your insurance go up, not 15 minute smoke breaks.

So before you spout off about smokers costing soooo much insurance money, get off your fat ass and get the real facts.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by 33girl
When we do claims analysis for our clients, the greatest majority of claims are OBESITY RELATED. Not lung cancer, not emphysema - OBESITY and conditions stemming from it like heart disease. And this is in areas where lots of people smoke.

Claims are what make your insurance go up, not 15 minute smoke breaks.

So before you spout off about smokers costing soooo much insurance money, get off your fat ass and get the real facts.

Then I'd suggest employers also don't hire obese employees either.

See? Problem solved.

[Tom Earp]

Okay, Lets talk about Tobacco!

1st Cash Crop of The Colonies.

The Tobacco Industry has paid more Federal Taxes than any other Industry. @ 20O Billion in Taxes a Year to The Federal Govt. only This does not include State Taxes.


There was an agreement between the Tobacco Industry Forced upon Them for each Company to Pay into a Slush Fund Called the MSN to funnell Money to States to Pay for Smoke Related Illnesses. That money went to General State Funds used on everything but what it was intended for.


So, if these Billions of Tax Money are Erased, Where does the money come from?

It may not be the best Product as some say, it is legal at the moment. How many other Products will have to soon follow suit? Second major Product was Alchohol which is also taxed Sky High.

Where do we go with Gas Guzzleing Autos, Power Plants on Coal or switching to Natural Gas Turbines which both, Natural Gas, and Oil are going up.

If I had the Answer, I damn sure wouldnt want to be The Head of State.


Oh, Hey, Lets sue Fast Food Resturants, they make people fat!

Even the Fed. Regulations cannot decide on S**T.

Dont eat Itialian, Chinese, Eggs, Salt, Cheese, Red Meat, Seafood, ETC.

Oops We need that in our diet. It is Okay.

Oops lets get to Drug Companies who the Govt said Those Products were Okay!

How many Law Suits are going on now and who will go out of business?

Oh on and on!

Natural foods in Health Food Centers can no longer say they can cure certain illnesses as the FDA says You cannot do that, it is not prescribed by an approved method, so approves that? The FDA.

Sorry, but when everyone beleives the Press Of The Govt and follows the dogam it gets tiresome and then see that OOPS, Oh We were wrong.

Venting cause I get tired of Being Screwed By My Protectors and the followers! My So Duly Elected and appointed by same Govt!

[33girl]

Yes. I would like you to try saying to someone "we won't hire you because you eat pork rinds for breakfast and never exercise and require a troop of Boy Scouts to roll you from side to side."

Your company would be boycotted so fast - by EVERYONE, not just obese people - your head would spin.

[Rudey]

Don't you make the same money if prices are raised? The taxes are passed onto the consumer.

-Rudey

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Okay, Lets talk about Tobacco!

1st Cash Crop of The Colonies.

The Tobacco Industry has paid more Federal Taxes than any other Industry. @ 20O Billion in Taxes a Year to The Federal Govt. only This does not include State Taxes.


There was an agreement between the Tobacco Industry Forced upon Them for each Company to Pay into a Slush Fund Called the MSN to funnell Money to States to Pay for Smoke Related Illnesses. That money went to General State Funds used on everything but what it was intended for.


So, if these Billions of Tax Money are Erased, Where does the money come from?

It may not be the best Product as some say, it is legal at the moment. How many other Products will have to soon follow suit? Second major Product was Alchohol which is also taxed Sky High.

Where do we go with Gas Guzzleing Autos, Power Plants on Coal or switching to Natural Gas Turbines which both, Natural Gas, and Oil are going up.

If I had the Answer, I damn sure wouldnt want to be The Head of State.


Oh, Hey, Lets sue Fast Food Resturants, they make people fat!

Even the Fed. Regulations cannot decide on S**T.

Dont eat Itialian, Chinese, Eggs, Salt, Cheese, Red Meat, Seafood, ETC.

Oops We need that in our diet. It is Okay.

Oops lets get to Drug Companies who the Govt said Those Products were Okay!

How many Law Suits are going on now and who will go out of business?

Oh on and on!

Natural foods in Health Food Centers can no longer say they can cure certain illnesses as the FDA says You cannot do that, it is not prescribed by an approved method, so approves that? The FDA.

Sorry, but when everyone beleives the Press Of The Govt and follows the dogam it gets tiresome and then see that OOPS, Oh We were wrong.

Venting cause I get tired of Being Screwed By My Protectors and the followers! My So Duly Elected and appointed by same Govt!