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by personalisglobal
on Thu Jul 08, 2004 4:23 am |
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I don't think many people realize the extent of the non-smoking
campaign and just what it can do to your lives. When a non-smoking
campaign reaches a certain level of influence in a state, as a smoker,
you will find it difficult to hold on to a job and even more difficult to obtain
one in that state.
I think non-smokers know that the single most important asset
that someone has is their ablity to continue to work. Removing that
asset removes a persons power, influence, and personal choice.
The choices you are left with in these states are to move out of the
state or quit smoking in order to obtain work.
I've worked in several Fortune 100 corporations over the past
twenty years and what I have experienced as the non-smoking
campaign began to take hold is that if you smoke you won't remain
working very long. And you certainly will not be hired if you smoke.
I firmly believe that background checks performed by HR
organizations include a "black list" of smokers - that list is in the form
of your health insurance records.
In a state where Workers Rights legislation prevents a company from
discriminating against employees for activities done outside of the
workplace (like belonging to a political group, etc.), it's a little more
difficult for managment to discriminate against smokers, so they just
manipulate the situation until they can let you go for another cause.
For example, if there if is going to be a lay off, smokers are targeted
before non-smokers. Also, smokers are not be given opportunities to
advance their careers through training or lateral moves, etc. Eventually,
you become obsolete and they can let you go.
I am a smoker who lives in a state with a state-wide smoking ban
in the workplace. I am posting this message in hopes that it will help
smokers who live in states where a ban on smoking has not yet
gone into effect. The views I express come from my own direct
personal experience and observations. Over the past several years
I've seen my managers and colleges who smoke get layed off or fired
one by one.
I hope this post encourages smokers to sure up their states Workers
Rights legislation *before* the non-smoking campaign obtains too
much momentum there. |
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personalisglobal
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by Tom
on Thu Jul 08, 2004 8:30 am |
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| Thanks for the heads up. I'm from the smoker friendly state of NJ. Our leaders say, sure you can smoke wherever, but if you buy cigs here, they'll cost you. I don't smoke at work now, because some people have told me some horrible stories from other states. I just don't smoke at work anymore, and I say I quit, because if we ever have a statewide smoking ban, I don't want to be in the same position of the New Yorkers. Now I'm training myself to live on nicotine suplements in the day and, maybe I can apply for jobs in the city soon. I'd be a non-smoker in the day and a smoker at night. |
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Tom
Smokers Rights Activist
Joined: Aug 24, 2003
Posts: 961
Location: The Kingdom of New Jersey
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by personalisglobal
on Thu Jul 08, 2004 9:15 am |
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Tom, two points you might want to consider:
1.You can't hide the fact that you are a smoker from your
employer (or potential employer) unless you are willing
to give up on participating in health insurance.
2. If you *have* to use nicotine supplements to get through
a day without smoking that means you are addicted. You
might want to do something about that to gain back your
*choice* to smoke or not to smoke.
In my opinion, the *only* way to fight discrimination against
smokers in the workplace is by changing the Workers Rights
laws in your state to *specificly* prevent companies from doing
it. Then at least you can show cause in a lawsuite against a
company who carries out such policies (even if they publicly
say that they do not have such a policy). |
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personalisglobal
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by LibbyLiberty
on Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:17 am |
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Okay, that sounds ludacris to me. If I ever got discriminated against (in a job position) because I smoke, I would get the ACLU involved in a lawsuit and contact all the major news outlets and make sure the company's name gets dragged through the mud. I'm VERY vindictive, so they would not come out of this in a good light.
The thing is, if you are being passed up for promotions and training, that's basis right there for discrimination. This country can be very politically correct when it comes to discrimination and you can file a lawsuit over just about anything.
That will never happen in my line of work. I'm a Graphic Designer and work in the printing industry. A lot of these places have allowed smoking in the building. Plus, the industry is so highly stressful, most people smoke or worse - so they don't drug test either. That is unless you come in to work buzzed out of your mind and can't do your job. They need evidence first, and most won't do anything even if there is evidence.
I got lucky in my line of work as far as that goes, but I pay for it in everyday stress. |
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LibbyLiberty
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by personalisglobal
on Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:35 pm |
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Well it's good to know that there are some industries that the
anti-smoking types haven't reached yet.
Just to clearify, I don't believe any of the smokers that I saw this
happen to knew that they were being discriminated against at the
time. When they lost their jobs, were turned down for a position,
or got pigeon holed, etc. there were *always* other reasons.
It's just not that obvious a thing.
In my case, it was only after many years, when I looked around
at who was left and who wasn't and what they all had in common
that I realized what was going down. |
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personalisglobal
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by Tom
on Thu Jul 08, 2004 1:37 pm |
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| Right now, group policies do not require you to tell if you're a smoker or not, at least in NJ. I guess we're already protected then. That's a reason that NJ's medical insurance is so expensive, because they can't discriminate. I guess I took this protection for granted. I will fight to keep it. |
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Tom
Smokers Rights Activist
Joined: Aug 24, 2003
Posts: 961
Location: The Kingdom of New Jersey
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