Posted on 12/10/2005 7:14:16 PM PST by nickcarraway
MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- Quit smoking, or you're fired.
That's what Scotts Miracle-Gro is telling its employees. If they don't quit smoking by October, they'll lose their jobs.
The lawn and garden company is trying to keep health insurance costs down by promoting healthy lifestyles for its employees.
Its chairman and chief executive, James Hagedorn, said the company shouldn't have to shoulder health risks for employees who smoke. It pays for 75 percent of employees' health insurance.
The Ohio-based company has 6,000 employees. It said it can fire smokers legally in 21 states.
Workers who smoke can get free counseling, nicotine patches and classes on quitting.
A spokesman said the company hasn't yet decided how it will enforce the smoking ban.
Will it fire it's homosexual workers also?
I guess there'll be no edict regarding the injection of HIV from employee to employee.
it's=its.
I guess it depends on how the HIV is injected.
My thoughts exactly. When will the fire the weirdos.
The meds for HIV can cost $40,000 per year and up... for many, many years. Any edict on gay sex?
Well, or more importantly, females?
They've been the ones that consume more $'s in health benefits than any male on the earth that I know of - homosexual or otherwise. Of course, your group rates take that into account. Take smokers into account too (already), but I'm just saying...
The left has been pushing for employers to pay for health insurance for decades, and they succeeded. So this is what you get--powerful employers getting even more control over the lives of its employees.
I guess they aren't concerned about their obese workers?
Weekly piss tests?
The Dims are very fond of the term "slippery slope". Well, this is most definately that. If you can fire an employee for smoking you can fire them for "unprotected" or "promisicuous" sexual activity. Or how about someone who is 20# overweight or maybe they just eat too much McDonalds. You allow the firing of someone for one particular unheathy behavior you open it up for any and all.
I think I'll snort a pint of their product, get sick, and sue their asses for U$D 100 mill.
It's a private company. They should be able to fire any employee they want, for any reason, including no reason. By the same token, employees should be able to quit anytime they want, for any reason, including no reason.
This is not without parallel. Companies with company vehicles dismiss drivers with too many traffic citations, DUIs, etc.
How will they know if an employee smokes off the job? Oh, that's right, we have 30 year history of workforce urine testing in this country.
A lot of employees probably have their families on that health plan, too. So if the employee's spouse smokes wouldn't it be just as much of a strain on the health plan? So they'll have to ban smoking for spouses and children. And after smoking it will be DNA tests to see what you're likely to come down with. What a can of worms they're opening here.
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