Posted on 05/20/2008 4:50:32 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
Sarasota, Florida —- Sarasota County Government has its no smoking sign up. Unfortunately if you're trying to get hired by them the sign is going to stay up for good. “We're not saying you can't smoke cigarettes, we're not going out and telling the public that you cannot smoke cigarettes, we're just saying that if you are a tobacco user, you are going to be disqualified in the application process of Sarasota County Government” says Steve Marckinko. It's that simple.
So in order to work for the man, you have to give up the Marlboro Man or any other pack of smokes. The move is legal but it's not being accepted well by the smokers in Sarasota County that Tampa Bay's 10 spoke to, “This is a wrong” says Francisco Paez while puffing away at an outdoor café. A few tables away, Staci Hall shared similar sentiments, “It's something that we are given a right to make that choice ourselves.” Some were discouraged, but not all. Alan Rains looked at the reality of the situation, “There is another place I can't get a job.” He then lit up.
The entire ban on potential future employees who smoke has been embraced well according to county officials. “It's been well receive, I think most people understand the detrimental effects that cigarette smoking that tobacco use has on health” says Marckinko. County officials admit that insurance rates probably won't go down, but the no-smoking ban will help keep them at their current rates for a longer period. They also believe that it will make the workplace healthier in the years to come. However during a tour of the county building, we did notice that the cafeteria snack machine did sell Texas cinnamon rolls and fried pork skins. For many they are healthier than cigarettes, but not by much.
People have tried the same thing with poppy seed-bagels, rock concert “atmosphere”, etc. It doesn’t fly.
Easy. Check for cotinine in the urine. Can be added to a routine employment drug screen. Sorry folks this horse left the barn a long time ago. Next step, Body Mass Index as a disqualifier.
You are right there. I was at a retirement party for a teacher yesterday. We[my wife abd I] were sitting with two other teachers. One was overweigh. When the overweigh teacher left the other teacher said that she was a good teacher abd the kids adored her but the system was trying to run her off simply because she was overweigh.
Fine as long as they discriminate against those who routinely over eat and show it!
What you eat, what you drive, what you do in your home...Barry doesn't want you to offend the world. It irks me that people will stay mired in the MDS (yeah, it's a real phenom, especially here) and steadfastly refuse to see the inherent danger of an Obama POTUS. Barry and Michelle are planning to change America, alright. They are going to change us into Moscow 1955.
Oh no, this part you'll never have to worry about. As we see everyday, there is no more important human activity than sex in any form.
Now as for the rest of that stuff...
And another government moves closer to fascism.
Feh. We’re Americans. We regularly pee on command for a job. None of this is suprising.
Discriminating Ping
Right. There can never be a legal defense for the presence of an illegal drug.
However, nicotine is a legal commodity. I know smokers who quit who used Nicotine Replacement Therapy for a couple of years, before they could get off them. Yet, they did not smoke.
Such a person would be complying with the No Smoking Policy, and would be breaking no laws.
This is so different from the "Meatball Defense" recently used, where someone said meatballs were cooked with pot. Pot happens to be illegal, the drug was found, end of story.
However, nicotine is a legal commodity. I know smokers who quit who used Nicotine Replacement Therapy for a couple of years, before they could get off them. Yet, they did not smoke.
So, Gorzo, you believe in the soundness of our government's agendas? Do you think they have OUR best interests in mind?
Or, is it maybe a conspiracy between the pharma industry, and the g'umt? Nah, that's a ridiculous thought! Government is ALWAYS looking out for the people!
Nanny State Ping.
This is not the Sarasota County of my fondest memories. Back in the 70s and 80s when I spent much time in Sarasota a large percentage of my friends worked for the County and all but one of them were smokers. At this point all have more than the needed 20 years service for rretirement.
I trust that Sarasota County will be giving up all tax revenues from the sales of tobacco in the county considering they are refusing to hire the very peopl that pay those taxes it only makes sense...........oh wait, this is a government entity and is not required to make sense.
I beg to differ, this is not legal, IMO. I am pretty sure it violates at least one amendment of the constitution, and maybe others. It is discrimination of the highest order and if they get away with it leaves the door open of forcing you to give up drinking, driving your car, eating hamburgers or anything they think is PC at the time.
People stand by and let things like this happen because, "Oh, well they are smokers", and the gov can do anything it wants, violate any rights as long as it is against smokers and involves the "war on drugs" and is "for the children".
Soon it will be others turns and then listen to the screams. Stand up to this crap now or pay a heavy price later.
Haha, of course not..after all I have been on here for years.
But some things are as they are. Maybe we can change them, maybe we can disrupt them, maybe we can ignore them.
Or do what I did and just walk away from the whole Corporate Thing.
Stuff PC.
Stuff ISO9001
Stuff Workplace Sensitivity
I Shrugged.
Apparently not. Other counties and government agencies have done this in Florida in the past, with much fanfare of the announcement. However most of the policies have been quietly done away with when said government entities found themselves having a difficult time filling employment needs after eliminating 20-25% of the potential employment pool.
That’s the beauty of it. Urine testing programs have nothing to do with legality. These programs were carefully crafted to specificially ignore legality, lest 4th Amendment protections be invoked. Instead, they were couched in terms of worker health and workplace safety. Tried, tested, and court-approved as such, with decades of legal precedent in place. Enjoy the party.
I hope that they also forego any revenues related to tobacco.
Same here in Marion County:
Effective January 1, 2008: It shall be the policy of Marion County Board of County Commissioners that all applicants for employment must sign an Affidavit for Non-Use of Tobacco Products in order for their application to be considered. The non-use must have been for a period of at least one (1) year immediately preceding application for employment; and must be maintained for the duration of employment with Marion County, if hired. The Affidavit must be submitted at the time of application.
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