[Responsibility2nd]

I read the article.

No mention that non-smokers and other healthy people have to pay higher insurance premiums at work for people like Rodrigues who smoke, or who eat like pigs are therefore weigh 400 pounds.

Where are the FReepers who argue that Massachusetss is an at-will employment state? Scott has the right to hire and fire whom they want to.

And Scott has the responsibility to be fair to all employees who want lower health care costs.

[GQuagmire]

Agreed. I am a smoker,if my company made me pay extra because I smoke ,I wouldn't complain.(If the policy were there before I started.)I wonder where the line will be drawn.

[MovementConservative]

Smokers are good for the US treasury. The more they smoke, the less taxes I have to pay.

[Leo Farnsworth]

"...And Scott has the responsibility to be fair to all employees who want lower health care costs.."

And Scott has the responsibility to be fair to all employees who want to earn more take home pay by firing:
- any employee who does not work hard
- any employee who does not follow company policy
- any employee who does not enjoy mixing chemicals
(dangerous, noxious chemicals)
- any employee who does not have good, pure thoughts
- any employee who wants to increase health care costs by having a liver, kidney or heart transplant ('It's THEIR fault!!!!!!!!")

(<\sarc off)

[mysterio]

Yeah, I'm sure the employees are just saving oodles on their health insurance premiums. The companies alwyas just pocket the cash. Just like when they started tossing peoples' cars for seatbelt violations. Premiums still went up.

I don't care if this guy wins or loses. I just hope he ties them up in court for a long time and they have to pay tons for lawyers.

[diefree]

I smoke and I'm almost never sick. Same goes for my husband.

[traditional1]

"No mention that non-smokers and other healthy people have to pay higher insurance premiums at work for people like Rodrigues who smoke"

Great argument you have there...

Now, you wanna increase premiums on women of child-bearing age, too, as they are a burden on my insurance premiums, too, and so are all the fat-ass Smoke-Nazi's who are trying to save me from demon tobacco.

[Mister Da]

I live & work in an at-will employment state. I attended a seminar conducted by a lawyer specializing in employment cases.

He said NEVER give a reason for termination, because that reason can be used against you in court. While it is not illegal to fire someone, the reasons you give could be.

While I agree with the company's right to fire the man, as a smoker, I wont be buying Scott products anymore.

Also, I don't like the company's use of health insurance as a bludgeon to socially & physically engineer (manipulate) their employees. Health insurance should not be available thru employment. It should be sold ONLY to individuals/families like auto or life insurance. This would put an end to this nonsense.

Short of that, the fired employees should retaliate by pointing out the numerous & ongoing violations of safety & health regulations at the company. As with most companies, the list will be long. What goes around, comes around.

[William Terrell]

Ordinarily, I would agree with you.

From what I understand the master/servant relationship and the common law that defines it is still active to define the privileges and responsibilities of both sides even though the sides have been renamed employer/employee (USSC). A master's jurisdiction of his hired servant ends with the work day, or other period of time between at work and at private life.

'Course modifying statutes would be effective, but I don't think, if some statute allowed the master to mitigate his CHOICE to provide the servant health care, it could possibly extend to health impacting actions on off time hours.

If one thing in private life can be regulated by pinkslip coercion based on financial impact on the master, any thing that impacts health can be, too, like the servant's relationship with their wife or husband. I don't think we want to go there.

If the company prevails in this case, there's a good chance you're going to be shocked at what you see follow.

[JoeGar]

... non-smokers and other healthy people have to pay higher insurance premiums at work for people like Rodrigues who smoke, or who eat like pigs are therefore weigh 400 pounds.

Workers also pay higher insurance premiums for other lifestyle choices such as unmarried women getting pregnant or homosexuals getting AIDS.