[metesky]

Nearly 60 percent of the $34.9 million per year Riverside County spends in workers’ compensation claims is spent on the county’s public safety employees, said Ron Komers, the county’s director of human resources.

With the county’s workers’ comp costs expected to rise to $39.9 million in 2007-08, Komers said the time has come to act and makes no apologies for the hiring ban. He asserts research shows smokers have higher accident rates and take more sick leave than nonsmokers. Both, he said, come out of county coffers.

I don't see any thing that specifically says that Riverside County's smoking employees take more sick leave, which, if true, should be easy enought to prove. The part about smokers having more accidents is just plain nonsense, IMO.

[SheLion]

I don't see any thing that specifically says that Riverside County's smoking employees take more sick leave, which, if true, should be easy enought to prove. The part about smokers having more accidents is just plain nonsense, IMO.

That's RIGHT, metesky. It's like "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

It's just about control. YOU know and "I" know it.

[Mears]

If smokers have more accident rates,which I doubt,it is probably going outside in all kinds of weather to have their butt.

Before I retired I stood in many an icy doorway to have a cig.Could have slipped and fallen and filed a claim since it was on company property.

All this stuff is hysterical. A person can come in hungover,but functioniing,every day as long as he is a non smoker.Isn't there a bit of discrimination in this?