The Stepford Employees

The Washington Times ^ | Feb. 5, 2005 | Bob Barr

[MisterRepublican]

In last year's remake of the 1970s classic science fiction file, "The Stepford Wives," a group of techno-weirdos set out to transform imperfect women into perfect wives. Of course, the plan fails because of... well, a lot of reasons.

But the point is, the world remains as full of weirdos today seeking to create the perfect person as when Pygmalion tried many centuries ago. Now, the "Stepford Search" has come to corporate America.

Weyco Inc., a Michigan company, has decided to fire any employee who smokes. Not just any employee who smokes on the job. Any employee who smokes anywhere, anytime, anyhow. Why? To help the employees make healthful life choices and become better persons; to help the employees "manage their health care."

How does the company ensure its employees remain truly and permanently "smoke free?" Mandatory "drug" tests. If traces of the "devil weed" tobacco are found, the hapless employee who thought he or she lived in a free country — one in which a citizen could practice such horrible habits as lighting up a cigarette or cigar in the "privacy" of his or her home — is summarily fired.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the decades of my misspent youth, we harbored the illusion such menaces as nuclear war or communist invasion were the real enemies of freedom. How wrong we were. The good folks running America just four or five decades later, including the Weyco Gestapo, know the real enemy of man is not the trivial nuclear holocaust, but smoking. And they will leave no freedom unturned in their zeal to root it out wherever it might still lurk.

[sweetliberty]

"A lot of high-stress jobs have high smoking rates."

Yes, they do. I think most of the people I work with smoke. I do not, but I certainly believe that is their right and their choice.

[sweetliberty]

"This is part of a much larger agenda than a business' requiring employees to adhere to certain policies."

Bingo.

[SheLion]

That is exactly right. Personally, I can't stand busybodies who think they sit on a throne and have a right to dictate to other people (people in glass houses and all). I feel for the Weyco employees as well, especially the older ones. The younger ones have grown up in the nanny-of-everything society. But those of us who are over 40......

Especially for those of us over 40!  We grew up knowing what is legal and what is not and made our own choices.

Now the nanny states are trying to force feed us into thinking that what 'they' say goes.  We weren't brought up like that.

For those of us used to Freedom of Choice, it is not easy to give up.

(Anyone want on my Puff List please FReep mail me)

[SheLion]

[Siamese Princess]

I think it is worse than that. I think government and corporate interests are forming alliances that will be impossible for individuals or small businesses to fight. Government provides "incentives" to businesses to line up behind a certain agenda. Before long, businesses have made way for legislation to support certain hiring and firing practices and discourage others. It is much the same as with the way the federal government has systematically usurped the authority of the sovereign states. The only ones who win with this system are the lawyers and those who refuse to work at all. (Adjusting my tinfoil hat)

Where did you buy the tinfoil hat -- I need one, too. I agree with you 100%

[Osage Orange]

(Adjusting my tinfoil hat)

And I'd say it was a well tuned one at that.............

[Richard Kimball]

One of the most irritating things about being a supervisor is having to balance contradictory rulings, often issued by the same legislature or court. For example, Courts have ruled that firefighters have a constitutional right to read pornography while on-duty. However, courts have also ruled that the presence of pornography in the workplace can be considered sexual harassment by female employees, opening the employer to litigation. Obesity may be covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act.

There is also the question of "is it part of the job?" For many employees, good physical health is a requirement. Fire departments have had a h*ll of a time implementing standards for physical fitness, and it's pretty hard to hide some fat b*stard with emphysema at a fire scene. That being said, I accepted certain hair, grooming, conduct and conditioning standards when I entered the field. There's no constitutional right to work for a specific company.

However, I'd love to see what the health nazis would say if this company tried to outlaw being a rump ranger.

[sweetliberty]

"there would be outrage over firing gays or obese people, etc. Its all about political correctness."

Just wait. It will soon become "fashionable" to discriminate against the obese if they can't be forced "persuaded" to reform.

[Siamese Princess]

There's the key point that everybody is missing. They're not really trying to control costs or improve life through better "health choices," merely through the choices that match their personal (liberal) preferences. I'm normally a very free-market kinda guy and almost extremist in my belief that an employer has the right to make tough employee decisions since it's his money in play. I've been in business for myself for 25 years and understand the issues. But this is different. This is an insidious attempt to shove their POLITICAL beliefs down the throats of their employees. If they were concerned about "health," any moron knows homosexuality is what, ten times more deadly than tobacco, a hundred times, what?

Most definitely! Smoking is a politically incorrect vice. So is obesity, though the morbidly obese are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. On the other hand, homosexuals are probably the most disease-ridden creatures on the planet (with a life expectency of a mere 42 years in the US), but no one will go after them! That would be homophobic.

[SheLion]

Just wait. It will soon become "fashionable" to discriminate against the obese if they can't be forced "persuaded" to reform.

Health Care Company That Fired Smokers Also Targeting Fat
Weyco

January 27, 2005

A Michigan health care company that fired four employees for smoking is also targeting fat.

Howard Weyers, the founder of Weyco Inc., said he wants to tell fat workers to lose weight or else, Reuters reported.

Weyers brought in weight experts to speak with employees, according to Reuters. The company also offers employees a $35 monthly incentive for joining a health club and $65 for meeting fitness goals.

But the company isn't planning to fire employees for unhealthy lifestyle choices, according to a Weyco news release.

"Anyone concerned about limiting employers' rights to specify terms of employment should know that federal law protects people with conditions like obesity, alcoholism and AIDS. But there's no right to indulge in tobacco," the news release said.

Four Weyco employees were fired after 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 four employees were fired for refusing to take a test to determine whether they smoke. Weyers 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.

The company's Web site states:
Weyco Inc. is a non-smoking company that strongly supports its employees in living healthy lifestyles.

[iconoclast]

Howard Weyers,

Just curious, what do you suppose the nationality of that name is?

Hee hee!

And that ain't even the funniest part. I saw him being interviewed the other day and almost fell out of my chair laughing.

He looked like he just came from central casting for the next production of Scrooge. He's a scrawny little old fart with a few strands of disheveled gray hair falling over a lonnngg forehead and onto one of those long, thin pointy noses, on the end of which sets steel rimmed glasses.

Cigarettes? Any kind of pleasure? BAH, HUMBUG!

[Osage Orange]

I believe the insurance company's are just picking on people's life styles in order to raise their rates.

I don't like insurance companies..anymore than the next guy. But, it's been my experience that they are overwhelmingly creatures of surveys, numbers, graphs, demographics, numbers, charts, studies, numbers, trials, averages, measurements, and risk.

But I also think they are cost shifter's too. And everything is political. Right now....lifestyles are in the crosshairs.

FRegards,

[SheLion]

And that ain't even the funniest part. I saw him being interviewed the other day and almost fell out of my chair laughing.

I know it! I saw him too. He looks like a dried up old prune that never had a fun day in his life.

[iconoclast]

He looks like a dried up old prune that never had a fun day in his life.

I forgot to mention his mean, squinty little eyes.

I hope he gets more TV exposure.

[TexasCowboy]

"He looks like a dried up old prune that never had a fun day in his life."

Aww, he prolly jist ran outta Viagra.......bout forty years ago.

[SheLion]

Right now....lifestyles are in the crosshairs.

Lifestyles in the crosshairs? Well, gays and gay marriages are fighting for their rights and being accepted in 'some' circles while smokers can't cut a break.

All that money being wasted on smoking when we have more pressing issues, IMHO.

[SheLion]

Aww, he prolly jist ran outta Viagra.......bout forty years ago.

I mean it, I don't even think VIAGRA could help him. Not only that, if he got all primed up, who would WANT him? hehe!

[longtermmemmory]

If a worker has a short life expectancy, little chance of producing children, no danger of paternity or maternity leave, it would seem a better option for the employeer.

If they die off at 42, does that help the 401k bottom line? What happens to stock options of dead employees with no families? They go bye bye.

[Osage Orange]

Lifestyles in the crosshairs? Well, gays and gay marriages are fighting for their rights and being accepted in 'some' circles while smokers can't cut a break.

Ahhh...I figured someone would mention that. Ha!!

BUT, homosexuality ( according to the MSM..) isn't a "lifestyle". I think it is...but they don't listen to me.

If somehow you could lobby that you were born a smoker...and couldn't change if you wanted to, you might catch a break. Otherwise...you are doomed to being bunched into a high-risk / high premium group.

[Annie03]

LOL-I love it!