Company Fires Smokers

The Associated Press. ^ | The Associated Press.

[Eurotwit]

Michigan Firm Won't Allow Smoking, Even On Employee's Own Time

LANSING, Mich. -- A Michigan health care company has fired four of its employees for refusing to take a test to determine whether they smoke cigarettes.

The company enacted a new policy this month, allowing workers to be fired if they smoke, even if the smoking takes place after-hours, or at home.

The founder of Weyco Inc. said the company doesn't want to pay the higher health care costs associated with smoking.

An official of the company -- which administers health benefits -- estimated that 18 to 20 of its 200 employees were smokers when the policy was first announced in 2003. As many as 14 of them quit smoking before the policy went into effect.

[Eurotwit]

fyi

[ASA Vet]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327482/posts

[ibbryn]

Cool. I'm going to get my overweight boss fired.

[Eurotwit]

danke

[armyman]

Isn't this illegal?

[TSgt]

ROFLMAO!

I'm not a fan of smoking but you raise a good point.

This is draconion and over the top.

Smoking is not against the law.

[SoDak]

un-freaking-believable They must feel immune to litigation. What other undesirable attributes will they cull next? Will a DNA test be required to see the odds one has towards disease?

[exnavychick]

I don't mean to be a thread cop, but this has already been posted.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327482/posts?page=240#240

[TSgt]

Thread cop ;)

[exnavychick]

Sorry, didn't know someone else had already pointed it out. My mistake. :)

[exnavychick]

:P

Takes one to know one! LOL

[ASA Vet]

Darn, and I was getting ready to post an already been posted to your already been posted post.

[ORECON]

Guess they should fire the overweight, anyone with a family history of cancer, the gays, people of color, anyone that drinks alcohol, motorcycle riders, singles, males. We all know these groups have more medical problems than white married heterosexual women.

[Calpernia]

A Michigan health care company has fired four of its employees for refusing to take a test to determine whether they smoke cigarettes.

Holy Moly!!!!

[SoDak]

White hetero women have to go too. They give birth.

[rllngrk33]

Is this company looking for a discrimination lawsuit?

[walden]

Motorcycle riders, rock climbers, and other deviant types need to beware! The health police will get us all.

I wonder what would happen if those employees agreed to forgo company funded health insurance, choosing instead to acquire private insurance? As a contractor, then later self-employed worker, I've carried my own health insurance for about 8 years now, and, at least in Texas, it's not a problem and not prohibitively expensive.

[exnavychick]

LOL!!

[SoDak]

I'll bet it wouldn't matter if you self-insured. A policy this draconian isn't likely about money and is instead being driven by an individual who has some ardent beliefs he wishes to foist on to everyone he possibly can. I.E. Likely the founder. Someday, people will look back on the smoking debate and wonder why the h*ll they didn't draw a line in the sand there. I'd like to see the company sued, but in this climate, I'm almost positive the company would win.