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Company demands workers give up smoking to keep jobs

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by r35352, Dec 12, 2005.

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  1. r35352

    r35352 Member

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    Posted on Sat, Dec. 10, 2005

    Company demands workers give up smoking to keep jobs

    Associated Press

    MARYSVILLE, Ohio - Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., looking for ways to hold down health insurance costs, will require workers who smoke to quit by October or lose their jobs.

    The lawn and garden company wants workers to live healthy lifestyles, said James Hagedorn, the company's chairman and chief executive. Scotts recently opened a $5 million fitness and medical facility.

    Scotts is joining other companies focusing on smokers to cut health insurance costs. Some companies make employees who smoke pay higher health insurance premiums, or don't hire them.

    "Why would we admit someone into this environment when they're passing risk along to everyone else? Our view is we shouldn't and we won't," Hagedorn said.

    Scotts, which made $100 million on sales of $2.3 billion in its last fiscal year, has 6,000 employees in the United States and overseas. It said it can fire smokers legally in 21 states.

    "We're being as aggressive as the law will allow us, to keep our costs under control," Hagedorn said.

    Scotts pays for 75 percent of employees' health insurance but won't say how much that runs.

    The company also will require higher premiums for workers who refuse to take a health survey in 2006. In 2007, premiums will rise for workers who don't follow doctor recommendations to improve their health.

    In a 2004 survey of 270 professionals, the Society for Human Resource Management found 4.4 percent preferred to not hire smokers. Fewer than 1 percent said their companies have a formal policy against hiring smokers.

    This year, Okemos, Mich.-based Weyco Inc. began firing workers who smoke.

    Scotts, based in this town 30 miles northwest of Columbus, is offering free counseling, nicotine patches and classes on quitting to workers who smoke. The company hasn't figure out how it will determine whether employees are in compliance, spokesman Jim King said.

    Lewis Maltby, president of the New Jersey-based National Workrights Institute, a group working to expand human rights in the workplace, said he disagrees with the policy.

    "What you do in your own home on your own time is none of your boss' business," Maltby said.

    He acknowledges that smokers do generate higher medical costs, but employers can take steps, such as charging smokers more for health insurance.
     
    #1 r35352, Dec 12, 2005
  2. Master Baiter

    Master Baiter Member

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    Paging Fatty FatBastard.........



    :cool:
     
    #2 Master Baiter, Dec 12, 2005
  3. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    this is gonna get moved very quickly
     
    #3 pgabriel, Dec 12, 2005
  4. Master Baiter

    Master Baiter Member

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    Yeah, I was going to mention that too but oh well.

    I think its bull**** honestly. I don't smoke and I can't stand it but its none of the companies business if someone smokes or not. Are they going to start firing people that have un-protected sex? I don't think so. I am no lawyer but I question the legality of this practice.
     
    #4 Master Baiter, Dec 12, 2005
  5. MR. MEOWGI

    MR. MEOWGI Contributing Member

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    Yeah too bad we all can't agree how horrible this is. But I guess it's a brave new world...
     
    #5 MR. MEOWGI, Dec 12, 2005
  6. MR. MEOWGI

    MR. MEOWGI Contributing Member

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    I think heart diesease is a bigger killer than lung disease. Look out, your diet is next.
     
    #6 MR. MEOWGI, Dec 12, 2005
  7. Master Baiter

    Master Baiter Member

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    Excellent point. Good thing I started working out again recently ;)

    Can you imagine monthly weigh ins and measurings at work? Hilarious.
     
    #7 Master Baiter, Dec 12, 2005
  8. Davidoff

    Davidoff Member

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    I like the idea, but this quote is just crazy... MOST of the smokers I know take "SMOKE BREAKS" that are at least 5 mins ON THE JOB and they do it many times a day.. I always wanted to just get up and do nothing for almost an hour everyday even though I dont smoke... they get "free time" why dont I, but the BBS is my "SMOKE BREAK" so it all evens out in the end..
     
    #8 Davidoff, Dec 12, 2005
  9. MR. MEOWGI

    MR. MEOWGI Contributing Member

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    And the forced medication...
     
    #9 MR. MEOWGI, Dec 12, 2005
  10. Summer Song Giver

    Summer Song Giver Member

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    I hope whoever instituted this policy gets run over by a bus on their way home from work today
     
    #10 Summer Song Giver, Dec 12, 2005
  11. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    that's a very good point about being over weight because insurance companies really focus on smokers. I guess they think if someone smokes, they also don't exercise and they don't eat right.
     
    #11 pgabriel, Dec 12, 2005
  12. Master Baiter

    Master Baiter Member

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    The smoke break thing does kind of piss me off. If you don't smoke and are "caught" not doing anything for a certain amount of time then you are looked at like you are a slacker, but if you are smoking, then its a smoke break. For me, its not really a big deal for me because I piss off time everyday, but in the past it has really irked me.
     
    #12 Master Baiter, Dec 12, 2005
  13. A-Train

    A-Train Member

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    Did anybody ever apply at that place up in Northwest Houston that writes computer programs for car dealerships? I forgot the name, but they had a policy of hiring only non smokers.

    How does a company enforce something like this? I'm pretty sure that they can't force an employee to take a blood test for something other than illegal drugs or alcohol. Maybe a sniff test to see if their clothes smell like smoke?
     
    #13 A-Train, Dec 12, 2005
  14. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    CDC, or something. my friend worked there for about 2 months, and he was a smoker.
     
    #14 pgabriel, Dec 12, 2005
  15. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    Since they are not discriminating based on age, race or gender, there is probably nothing illegal about this. Smoking is not a "handicap" so the company should be safe on that level as well.

    Most insurance companies don't charge higher rates based on unprotected sex, unlike smoking, therefore, unprotected sex does not affect the premiums paid by the company and smoking does.

    If I were in charge, I would choose to have smokers pay their entire insurance premium rather than force them out of their job.
     
    #15 bobrek, Dec 12, 2005
  16. Master Baiter

    Master Baiter Member

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    What was really funny was when I did a contract at Anthem (a HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY) in Indianapolis, the entire organization was obese. I don't mean overweight either, I mean lard ass, huge, obese. Women the weighed over 3 bills easy. It was a running joke at work about how fat that company was and how on Monday's you would see them eating salad with 6 quarts of dressing but on Tuesday and the rest of the week it would be a bucket of fried chicken each. It was disgusting. I know PieEatinFattie could back up my claims but the douche rarely gets on here anymore.
     
    #16 Master Baiter, Dec 12, 2005
  17. TMac640

    TMac640 Contributing Member

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    kickass.

    my proposal would be a stiffer one though

    give up your first born or you don't work here.
     
    #17 TMac640, Dec 12, 2005
  18. mc mark

    mc mark Member

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    I haven't had a cigerette since August 12th. Today is 4 months smoke free.
     
    #18 mc mark, Dec 12, 2005
  19. Master Baiter

    Master Baiter Member

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    I think that this would be fair(er).
     
    #19 Master Baiter, Dec 12, 2005
  20. Ace

    Ace Member

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    That's what annoys me. I'm not exactly allowed to get up and do nothing for 5-10 mins every day an average of 3-4 times a day. It's a bit unfair. Plus, it does stink when they come back.
     
    #20 Ace, Dec 12, 2005
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