Weyco fires 4 employees for refusing smoking test

AP ^ | 1-24-05

[Cowboy Bob]

I wonder what would happen if he fired gay employees for what they did in the privacy of their own homes?

[thoughtomator]

The difference here is that we are talking about behavior on private time, not company time. If a company wants its employees to stand on one leg during company time, so be it. But it can't demand that its employees stand on one leg when they get out of work.

[thoughtomator]

The bottom line on this is that companies have no right to make demands of its employees on their private time. The fired four will get rich and the rest of the company will pay a heavy price for the bigotry, tunnel vision, and hubris of the employers.

[Born to Conserve]

Smoking sucks. At the university I was attending, they banned all indoor smoking. So then the smokers (zillions of them) all congregated at the entrances. Due to terrorism security precautions, there are only one or two entrances per building, some pretty big and busy buildings. They installed truly massive receptacles to try to deal with the littered butts. Have you ever seen a three foot tall chimney shaped ashtray catch on fire? Dark brown smoke billows out and literally knocks people to the ground! These things filled and caught on fire faster than they could empty them. The natural response of many was to pour a soda into the opening. That resulted in a scummy burnt butt extract flowing across the paths through the doors. It really seemed like the smokers enjoyed forming a gauntlet of smoke and glares and hate. The university now has a policy that smokers must stay at least 100 feet from all entrances. It used to be that you would find your way through the interconnected building to avoid the rain, but now there are so many people smoking on the "public" walkways, parks and streets, you have to transit the indoor maze to avoid them. So much for being public. If you don't smoke you're not welcome.

I've had enough. I do not tolerate ANY smokers. I don't feel sorry for them. I am vocal in pointing out the litter and pollution and costs that everyone has to bare. I push for controls with every authority I can. There are 'nice' smokers to be sure, but they have failed to influence their co-smokers, so that task has fallen to non-smokers.

Smokers, you're screwed. Higher tobacco taxes, yeah! Smoking banes and tests, yeah! Even on Ebay, you may notice many sellers point out that their products are from smoke free environments! Evidently they get higher prices for In polluted items. Hah! Take that! You are a smaller and smaller voting block. Your influence is waning.

You littering hacking smoking losers are reaping as a group what you have sown as a group.

Quit or be damned.

Ha!

[RobRoy]

>>The bottom line on this is that companies have no right to make demands of its employees on their private time.<<

Actually, they do. And they should have more.

>>The fired four will get rich and the rest of the company will pay a heavy price for the bigotry, tunnel vision, and hubris of the employers.<<

I wouldn't hold my breath. 8^>

[atomicweeder]

Can I fire my gay employees who engage in unprotected rectal sex, get HIV, and drive up my health care costs?

Oh, and before you ask "How do you know?" . . . They BRAG about their anonymous sex parties.

[atomicweeder]

Gattaca is coming. . .

[thoughtomator]

Really? What have employers previously been able to demand from employees on their private time, other than compliance with the law?

[hushpad]

"That is absolutely a victory," Climes said<<

You have (some sort) of victory for now Mr. Climes. Let's hope there are no fat folks in your family - they are the next group being set up for the second-class citizen treament.

[justt bloomin]

Breaking News from the AP:

Maxico Inc., of Telebunkeport, IA, just recently passed a policy that enstates the just firing of anyone who brings their own lunch from home.

"It's just not right," said employer Dick Parvus.

</sarcasm>

[thoughtomator]

Actually you're reaping what the smoking banners sowed.

[Centurion2000]

The company instituted a policy on Jan. 1 that makes it a firing offense to smoke

Those smokers are about to get rich.

[investigateworld]

SOMEBODY call the waaaabulance! LOL !!!

[azhenfud]

Son, you'd best duck for the incoming.

[CJ Wolf]

Shave head then. Actually anyone who want's to work at one of these places is beyond me. Frankly the first time some one asks for a piss sample, 'I'll say open your mouth'.

[RobRoy]

>> What have employers previously been able to demand from employees on their private time, other than compliance with the law?<<

How far back do you want to go? Fact is, employers used to be able to fire you for whatever reason they wanted. It was none of the states business. But laws were passed.

Smokers were not protected because it is not politiacally correct to do so and the evidence that they are a drain on health care costs is undeniable.

And don't even get me started on the unending smoking breaks...

[digger48]

If you don't like your employers rules, go start your own business. Companies were never meant to be democracies.

Not that I don't agree with you, but I'm sure NOW, GLAD, Rainbow Push, NAACP, AARP, the ACLU, et al, won't be jumping on your bandwagon.

[Centurion2000]

I agree. They should simply be barred from the company's health insurance policy. As long as the company is paying for their health benefits, I'd say they have a right to address an employee's health.

Then they better ban homsexuals, they are far more prone to health risks. Oh wait ... that would be discrimination yes ?