Smoking is bad for me, and second-hand smoke is bad for other people. I get it. But, isn’t it discriminatory for you to specifically put “NON-SMOKER REQUIRED” in your employment ad? Maybe it’s not as bad as “non-female”, or “non-ethnic”, but it’s a step in that direction. If it was a smoking cessation clinic, or a breathing-related organization, MAYBE. But what gives you the right to determine that I am incapable of having a puff within an 8 hour day? —Where Do Stupid Job Requirements End?
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 6, 2011.
Smoking is a choice, not something you’re born to, your argument is total bullshit.
The perspective employer that you’re bitching about, doesn’t want their workers taking a bunch of, 20 minute smoke breaks every day. Who want to pay you $20/hr to smoke for half the workday?
Here’s a novel idea….quit.
I find it really rude of you to even remotely compare this requirement to non-female non-ethnic whatever job postings. It’s slightly insulting op.
they end o.p., by me looking at them, like they are fucking nuts, and walking out the door. i remember one time, quite awhile back, i went for a job interview at this cleaning company. one of the questions asked, was i a smoker, to which i replied yes. the person doing the interview looked at me, like i just told her i was a serial killer or some shit.
she then said that they were looking for non smokers, because their clients in the building didn’t smoke. wtf, who cares if they do or not? i wasn’t going to smoke on the job inside anyway.
that fucking near floored me, so i contacted human rights, and they told me, that there was no way, the person or company, should have even asked that. i can see them asking if i jerk off in their coffee machine and shit like that. but smoking, uh uh. some people’s fucking children o.p.
Maybe they don’t want someone who smells like smoke in their work environment? I’ve gotten headaches from people who smoked and just smelled like smoke. And I’m only a little bit allergic!
Smokers really don’t realize how a) badly they can smell (because their sense of smell actually is suppressed when they smoke) and b) how sensitive non smokers can be. I lived with a smoker in the summer of 2006 and after a while I didn’t smell the smoke on my clothes any more. When I came home my mom made me re do all my laundry because she said it smelled like smoke. I had no clue.
its not in that direction at all OP!
people will find any excuse to say others are being “discriminating”. puh-lease, i agree with hugo, you def should have came up with a better arguement.
As a worker who works with smokers as well as non smokers, I would much rather work with non smokers not so much the smell it is that the smokers feel for some reason they are entitled to go take a quick smoke break WTF? I mean can I go take a fresh air break no!
I agree I’d rather work with all non smokers then with smokers. I can’t stand the smell of stale smoke on their clothes. Disgusting.
I hate smokers for this very reason.. They feel like they are entitled to their breaks, lunch AND unofficial smoke breaks. When I was a bartender I was the only one who didn’t smoke, and I was the only one who didn’t get to have breaks because I didn’t have a “legitimate” excuse. Apparently have no will power and voluntarily killing yourself slowly is a good excuse for getting paid to have a smoke. Sometimes I felt like I was the only one working. This applies to a lot of the jobs I’ve had. If you care that little about your body, you probably care less about your job.
Don’t even get me started on how you guys throw your cigarette butts carelessly on the ground….
Hugo, you can’t disriminate due to religion and that is choice.
as a former smoker..i would also prefer to work w/non-smokers..however i’m pretty sure you can’t violate someones rights by disqualifying them from employment..it’s a slippery slope..
Good point Tim.
What about atheist?
Exactly Hugo Atheism is a choice too and one cannot discriminate because of it. How many job postings say “Drug addicts and alcoholics need not apply”?
I can understand in certain situations not hiring someone who smoked. Its a choice to smoke, its bad for not only the health of the smoker but everyone around them. I have worked as a supervisor in hair salons for years, and always preferred working with non-smokers. This may not be true for all smokers, but the ones I worked with… I felt I was constantly chasing them because of their “unofficial” smoke breaks. Not only would they come back smelly, but sometimes they would not come back for extended periods of time. It was enough to drive you mental.
There are scent-free environments all over the place. If I can’t wear perfume, why should a smoker be allowed to come to work smelling of cigarette smoke? It sticks to your clothes and even if you never smoked in a particular area, the smell will transfer over. For example, I used to be friends with a girl who smoked and when she would get in my car, even though she never smoked inside, it would smell just as bad as if she had.
Oh and Life Sucks… I wouldn’t have hired you for the cleaning position either. If the clients want a smoke free environment, they have a right to it. Its impossible to hide smoking, the smell is just to strong and it sticks around no matter how much freebreeze you use. For some people, just the smell of smoke transferred in from a smokers clothes is enough to cause serious health issues. If the environment is specified as smoke-free, then you shouldn’t be surprised by not getting hired.
“Drug addicts and alcoholics need not apply” – Yea, darn those discriminatory Day-Cares ;P
Just as an aside – I think anyone in a culinary or food preparation profession should absolutely not be able to smoke while at work. For some reason, it just seems so gross.
oboyoboy, all these non smoking nazis are having a good time today. t.f.b., you want the smell to stop, then make the gubermint stop selling them.same as booze, you want no drunks on the road, ban all forms of booze then. til these are banned completely kitty, and everyone else, you’ll just have to live with it, like i have to do with non smokers. live and let live people. star0girl, that would have been your loss.
OP, then quit smoking! Why would a company want to hire a smoker, which will only cause the company’s health inurance premiums for employees to increase. Fuck smokers.
“Drug addicts and alcoholics need not apply”
certainly not in Chuck Lorre’s job postings.
lot of smoker hating going on ’round these parts….
you’re a pretty pissy bunch to all those elderly, decrepit smokers who grew up when it was rare for people NOT to encounter smoking anywhere and everywhere…
this has me wondering what type of job it was in the first place.
I make it very clear when I hire anyone, it’s your choice if you smoke, but not on my time.
I fully explain that there is zero tolerance for smoke breaks during working hours. Smoke your lungs out on lunch break (outside of course), and after you punch out for the day, caught once smoking when you are supposed to be working, immediate dismissal. everybody signs off on it when they are hired.
Only fired one person, they knew right away they were busted.
Only had one person refuse to sign the “Terms of Employment” form. Actually said it was their right to smoke. I replied with “Yeah but I don’t have to pay you to do it”
I like that idea bbqlover.
Also: I actually don’t see that many “elderly” people smoking these days. It’s primarily the middle aged and baby boomers who are always huffing and puffing on a smoke. I had a supervisor once who would break up her 15 minute break into three 5 minute breaks to go have a smoke. She had the WORST cough and customers used to complain because she’d cough into her hand and then touch their food while checking it out. NASTY. And she’d have a big fucking hissy fit when anything was said to her. She had that raspy voice and a smoker’s cough that she CLAIMED was from a bout of pneumona she had three years prior that never really went away. She also claimed her doctor told her she had 98% lung function. *shakes head*
Also: by any chance do YOU smoke, zed?
Sometimes, smoking is against the mandate of the organization (think lung association, cancer society etc). I have applied for these jobs and it is a requirement to be a non-smoker. Also, smokers take more sick days than non-smokers, and are less productive and efficient. So who can blame someone for not wanting to hire a smoker? You’re part of a demographic OP, except this is a demographic you have a choice to get out of. Either lie, or quit smoking.
as a smoker, i see all kinds of shit day to day. how did you get your figures hollah? i have to disagree there. i know for a fact, that non smokers are more accident prone, speed more, drink more, and fuck up more, and yes, are even lazier, than smokers.
i have worked a lot of different jobs over the years, and the biggest goof offs were non smokers. they like to gab on phones, drink coffee or tea, drink more water, take more bathroom breaks, and also cause a lot more accidents for everyone. you are getting sucked in by the propaganda from the non smoking public, not the truth.
and as to the lung thing, i worked out here for the lung assc. that used to be on alma cresent. they have closed, due to lack of business.
and as to the rights of smokers, there are none. same as nons. you have no right to dictate to me, or anyone else, your ideals, and try to make us feel like a criminal. smoking tobacco is legal, legally sold, and smoked in this country. if anyone doesn’t like that idea. then get fucking elected, and ban ALL tobacco products from sale, in this country.
til then, everyone, will just have to live your own little lives, and leave others to live theirs, however they see fit.
haha if zZz smokes he doesn’t do it at work, he’s just not a self righteous assclown like 90% of the posters in this thread.
word ^^^
There’s different kinds of smokers – I was a smoker pre-bump and I NEVER once took a smoke break at work – never even smoked on my lunch break because I didn’t want the smell on me while I was working. I don’t think it’s discrimination to not hire based on being a smoker – one of my co-workers goes out for at least 5 smokes a day during work hours.
I don’t care who smokes, just as long as I don’t have to sit around at work all day and smell their cigarette stink on their clothes/hair/etc…
so we’re in agreement that they should put
“Must not smoke while at work and must keep proper hygene ala wearing fresh clothes if they live in a smoking house.”
cause I may not smoke but if I live with someone who does, can I still apply for this job?
so many questions….
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/55a26b01…
ohhhhhh the complexities of our existance is giving me a headache. fuck smoking, i need a drink 😛
funny you mentioned culinary in particulat juswami..i’d say at least 50% of cooks/servers smoke..could even be 60
gawd, I thought smoking was just a part of restaurant culture. I’d think a lot more than 60% of servers smoke! 😛
I know they do, which is why I commented what I did. I just don’t think it’s really sanitary really. I really grosses me out.
I smoke and what the hell is a sick day?
What isn’t sanitary about smoke or carbon. I fail to see the connection.
Fuck a bunch of you!!! Hugo….who gets paid $20/hr in this province? Kitty…bullshit on the headaches…non-smoker taking days off because of migraines and probably Fibromyalgia…or some such load of crap.
Smoking is still legal in this country and therefore, a requirement to be a non smoker in order to obtain employment is discriminatory.