If you're willing to pay someone for 24/7 employment, then you get to set the rules in his of hours. We're employees, not freaking slaves.
It's a LEGAL substance like alcohol. You can tell them no smoking on the clock and that's kosher. Telling someone no smoking ever, or no alcohol, or no guns, or no motorcycles ever while they work for you is a no-no.
Think of the precedent that you are setting and then think of ANY habit/hobby you might have that could be used against you.
It's a LEGAL substance like alcohol. You can tell them no smoking on the clock and that's kosher. Telling someone no smoking ever, or no alcohol, or no guns, or no motorcycles ever while they work for you is a no-no.
Think of the precedent that you are setting and then think of ANY habit/hobby you might have that could be used against you.
You're just flat out wrong according to the law. Just because something is legal, doesn't mean I can't fire you because you do it. It is legal to discriminate for any reason outside of protected areas, such as age, race, gender, etc. (look for my previous posts to see the full list). If I decide to fire you because you like Heinz Ketchup, then there's nothing you can do about it as an employee. Heinz Ketchup is not a protected class.
The free market determines the value of my decision. Any reasonable employer will not discriminate based on tomato products, because they will eliminate 80% of their employee supply (that stat is a guess, but it's illustrative of my point). This post is about government intervention. At what point do we say our hiring decisions (i.e., my money as your employer) is not my own? This goes to the heart of conservatism. If you, as an employee, don't like your pay, working conditions, uniform, job description, no-smoking policy, etc., then you have five choices to choose from:
1. Quit and find a more suitable job.
2. Quit and start your own company (so you can make the rules).
3. Grin and bear it.
4. Quit and become a homeless bum.
5. Get elected to state or federal office and change the rules.
Those are your choices.