Nicotine Test as Job Requirement

[talkingpointes]

When I was a manager, I made it a policy that every time someone went on a smoke break, they had to punch out. What do you know, most smokers stopped asking for a smoke break. The main reason smokers want to go on a smoke break is to take a break and do nothing. Shame on managers who let smokers take excessive smoke breaks while requiring non-smokers to work non stop.

Biggest crock of shit. Smokers vs. non smokers, which is more productive? People are most productive when they are happy, and living in the land of land-whales when people are in good shape. I remember when the NBA used to run their negative bs about players that were smokers, most notably from my gen (90's) Vlade Divak. Didn't seem to stop them. I work construction with possibly the most lazy, overweight, entitlement deserving (so they think -- ex. They took err jobs!)generation ever and have to compete with illegals. Being young and a smoker doesn't discount the fact I can work leagues around ''grown men". I do flooring FYI - carper, tile (stone/ceramic/porcelain), vinyl. Not easy.

Edit: I smoke while working, including in most buildings.

 

[squarepusher]

how about a nicoteine patch? I don't think that would leave any mouth residue, and would allow you to get a nicotteine fix.

 

[tttppp]

Biggest crock of shit. Smokers vs. non smokers, which is more productive? People are most productive when they are happy, and living in the land of land-whales when people are in good shape. I remember when the NBA used to run their negative bs about players that were smokers, most notably from my gen (90's) Vlade Divak. Didn't seem to stop them. I work construction with possibly the most lazy, overweight, entitlement deserving (so they think -- ex. They took err jobs!)generation ever and have to compete with illegals. Being young and a smoker doesn't discount the fact I can work leagues around ''grown men". I do flooring FYI - carper, tile (stone/ceramic/porcelain), vinyl. Not easy.

The point I was trying to make is that in many jobs smokers get benefits at the expense of non-smokers. Smokers get to take routine smoke breaks while non-smokers have to work. Maybe the answer would be to keep smoke breaks for smokers, but also give non-smoker breaks too. Thats a possibility. However, that would not have worked for my company. There is no way we could manage giving every employee a break every hour. And requiring employees to punch out before smoke breaks did fix the problem for us. It was very rare people would ask for a smoke break when they knew they would be off the clock.

 

[pcosmar]

The point I was trying to make is that in many jobs smokers get benefits at the expense of non-smokers. Smokers get to take routine smoke breaks while non-smokers have to work. Maybe the answer would be to keep smoke breaks for smokers, but also give non-smoker breaks too. Thats a possibility. However, that would not have worked for my company. There is no way we could manage giving every employee a break every hour. And requiring employees to punch out before smoke breaks did fix the problem for us. It was very rare people would ask for a smoke break when they knew they would be off the clock.

I don't remember getting any of that..
In fact, most places, and certainly the better quality placed I have worked had no such benefits. And regular "safety breaks" were common.

I smoked while I work and took few breaks.. But then I also worked on commission in some of those shops,, So my income was directly tied to my output.

I own my own small farm today because of it.

 

[onlyrp]

how about a nicoteine patch? I don't think that would leave any mouth residue, and would allow you to get a nicotteine fix.

From what I heard, not everybody is addicted to nicotine on its own, many are addicted to the oral fixation (act of sucking and holding in hand), that's why there's e-cigarettes. Which may or may not contain nicotine.

 

[otherone]

The main reason smokers want to go on a smoke break is to take a break and do nothing.

lol. Speak for yourself.

 

[onlyrp]

lol. Speak for yourself.

yeah, that's just ignorant, I dont smoke and I hate smokers, but smoking is hardly "doing nothing", sure, it's not productive, but its part of relaxation for those who do it.

 

[otherone]

yeah, that's just ignorant, I dont smoke and I hate smokers, but smoking is hardly "doing nothing", sure, it's not productive, but its part of relaxation for those who do it.

As a former employer and employee, I've known plenty of people that thought work was time to socialize and make personal calls, or do the bare minimum to get by. I've also know MANY smokers who worked their asses off. .

 

[tod evans]

I mostly agree. I'm just glad to see a company treat its non-smokers fairly. On average non-smokers do more work. They should be rewarded, not punished.

Back years ago the "playing field" was level........smokers and nonsmokers worked side by side and got stuff done.

Now in todays world smokers are vilified for leaving the presence of nonsmokers at their request.

You state how you believe nonsmokers are more productive.......well a fair comparison would be to permit smokers to work uninterrupted hours too.

Remember, it was the nonsmokers who forced the smokers away from their jobs not the other way around.

 

[specsaregood]

Back years ago the "playing field" was level........smokers and nonsmokers worked side by side and got stuff done.

Remember, it was the nonsmokers who forced the smokers away from their jobs not the other way around.

This is a fair point. Back when I was doing tech support, nearly every person smoked. And all had an ashtray in their cubicle. And usually people were chainsmoking all day long. Then they hired some mac expert with asthma, who couldn't be around smoke....and suddenly everybody else had to go outside away from the phone and their cubicle to smoke.

 

[onlyrp]

As a former employer and employee, I've known plenty of people that thought work was time to socialize and make personal calls, or do the bare minimum to get by. I've also know MANY smokers who worked their asses off. .

I never think smokers are non-workers, I just hate them because I can.

 

[otherone]

I never think smokers are non-workers, I just hate them because I can.

By that logic you hate everyone (because you can). I'm not saying that's a bad thing...

 

[tod evans]

I never think smokers are non-workers, I just hate them because I can.

+ rep!

I'd give ya` 2 if they'd let me.........and I smoke!

 

[tttppp]

lol. Speak for yourself.

Maybe you had a different experience, but where I worked thats the way it was. Smokers were abusing the system by trying to get a smoke break whenever they could and took as long of a break as they could. They did this until I was in charge and stopped giving them special privileges.

I did have one employee who was one of my best employees who smoked quite a bit. He never once asked me for a special smoke break. If he can go his whole shift without special smoke breaks, I don't see why other smokers can't do the same thing.

 

[tttppp]

I don't remember getting any of that..
In fact, most places, and certainly the better quality placed I have worked had no such benefits. And regular "safety breaks" were common.

I smoked while I work and took few breaks.. But then I also worked on commission in some of those shops,, So my income was directly tied to my output.

I own my own small farm today because of it.

The difference between where I worked and where you worked is that your work was based on commission. When employees realize they don't get paid for their smoke breaks, they usually don't want the breaks anymore.

 

[tttppp]

Back years ago the "playing field" was level........smokers and nonsmokers worked side by side and got stuff done.

Now in todays world smokers are vilified for leaving the presence of nonsmokers at their request.

You state how you believe nonsmokers are more productive.......well a fair comparison would be to permit smokers to work uninterrupted hours too.

Remember, it was the nonsmokers who forced the smokers away from their jobs not the other way around.

Well there was no way for smokers at this job to be able to smoke on the job. There's no way they could smoke and handle somebodies food at the same time. Customers would not like that. Additionally, we couldn't have employees smoking while handling customers either.

Even if you were at an office type of job, no non-smoker should be forced to breath in that crap. If you want to smoke, do it on your own time. I like to have sex, that doesn't mean I have to take a break every hour and go have a sex break.

 

[specsaregood]

I like to have sex, that doesn't mean I have to take a break every hour and go have a sex break.

If I ever find myself in a union again, I now have a demand I'd like to see made of management. Thanks for the idea.

 

[tttppp]

If I ever find myself in a union again, I now have a demand I'd like to see made of management. Thanks for the idea.

That would boost employee moral. I'd be excited to go to work if they introduced sex breaks.

 

[specsaregood]

That would boost employee moral. I'd be excited to go to work if they introduced sex breaks.

I know! You are an effing genius at labor relations!

 

[KingNothing]

I wouldn't allow these people to swab my mouth...that sounds like more of a ploy to get your DNA and put it in a databank. Fourth and Fifth amendments.

Seriously? There are all kinds of ways to collect DNA, and all kinds of drug testing methods that employers use to screen potential employees. If you were running a company, wouldn't you want to know as much as possible about the people you were hiring?