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Owyyn
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 2900
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 Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:41 Post subject: You smoke? You're fired.
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http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm2476_20050124.htm
| Quote: | Okemos company fires 4 employees for refusing smoking test
Monday, January 24, 2005
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LANSING -- Four employees of Okemos-based health benefits administrator Weyco Inc. have been fired for refusing to take a test that would determine whether they smoke cigarettes.
The company instituted a policy on Jan. 1 that makes it a firing offense to smoke -- even if done after business hours or at home, the Lansing State Journal reported Monday.
Weyco founder Howard Weyers said previously that he instituted the tough anti-smoking rule to shield his company from high health care costs.
"I don't want to pay for the results of smoking," he said.
The anti-smoking rule led one employee to quit work before the policy went into place. Since Jan. 1, four more people were shown the door when they balked at the anti-smoking test.
"They were terminated at that point," said Chief Financial Officer Gary Climes.
Even so, Weyco said, the policy has been successful. Climes estimated that about 18 to 20 of the company's 200 employers were smokers when the policy was announced in 2003.
Of those, as many as 14 quit smoking before the policy went into place. Weyco offered them smoking cessation help, Climes said.
"That is absolutely a victory," Climes said.
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Maybe they can start firing people with cancer; they're just an insurance burden.
Last edited by Owyyn on 01/26/05 - 13:47; edited 1 time in total
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Frax
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8489
Location: Fuck yoiu fucking fuckers
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:44 Post subject:
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can you spell "Lawsuit"? I Knew you could!
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lotek
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 12 Oct 2002
Posts: 1598
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:44 Post subject:
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simple solution. Dont get health insurance through your company.
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Occulis
RealPoor Jedi
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 13293
Location: Moral Relativity Central
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:46 Post subject:
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That's good stuff, but where do you draw the line? Anyway, this kind of crap takes care of itself.
"Ooh... 30% of your daily intake is from fats. Ouch. Well, Dave, I'm gonna have to let you go. I just don't want to pay for the health risks associated with obesity."
"That's fine," Dave replies. "Your competitor doesn't mind so much."
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halfbent
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 2944
Location: Kentwood, Mi
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:46 Post subject:
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I could really care less if someone smokes or not, but I have always been put off when they are allowed to take extra smoke breaks. Something about taking 2-3 extra breaks a day irks me sometimes.
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Gethy
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 5599
Location: Tallahassee, FL
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:48 Post subject:
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| halfbent wrote: | | I could really care less if someone smokes or not, but I have always been put off when they are allowed to take extra smoke breaks. Something about taking 2-3 extra breaks a day irks me sometimes. |
If that was the point then this bit of information wouldn't be sheer b******t.
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sinrakin
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 7044
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:50 Post subject:
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Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
On the other hand, if it catches on, it could be devastating. If all companies began to substantially restrict their employees activitees for insurance reasons, you might someday find that if you ski, or scuba dive, or fly a plane, or drink socially, you can't get a job, period.
I think the root problem is that companies provide health insurance. That's an illogical historical fluke that leads to distortions like unemployed people being unable to buy health insurance, or people being denied jobs for reasons unrelated to their job performance.
Companies are in the business of providing their primary service, not delivering human services. We buy our house insurance, car insurance, life insurance (beyond token amounts) from insurance brokers. Why don't we buy our own health insurance?
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Frax
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8489
Location: Fuck yoiu fucking fuckers
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:51 Post subject:
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| sinrakin wrote: | Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
On the other hand, if it catches on, it could be devastating. If all companies began to substantially restrict their employees activitees for insurance reasons, you might someday find that if you ski, or scuba dive, or fly a plane, or drink socially, you can't get a job, period.
I think the root problem is that companies provide health insurance. That's an illogical historical fluke that leads to distortions like unemployed people being unable to buy health insurance, or people being denied jobs for reasons unrelated to their job performance.
Companies are in the business of providing their primary service, not delivering human services. We buy our house insurance, car insurance, life insurance (beyond token amounts) from insurance brokers. Why don't we buy our own health insurance? |
You can buy your own health insurance if you want. Health Insurance assistance provided by a company is a BENEFIT.
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Occulis
RealPoor Jedi
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 13293
Location: Moral Relativity Central
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 13:58 Post subject:
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Sure, it's a benefit, but how many adults over the age of 40 will take a job paying no benefits?
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Mogling
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 29 Dec 2002
Posts: 2451
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 14:01 Post subject:
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| Occulis wrote: | | Sure, it's a benefit, but how many adults over the age of 40 will take a job paying no benefits? |
Im under the age of 20 and wont take a job that has 0 benefits.
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sinrakin
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 7044
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 14:02 Post subject:
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| Frax wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: | Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
On the other hand, if it catches on, it could be devastating. If all companies began to substantially restrict their employees activitees for insurance reasons, you might someday find that if you ski, or scuba dive, or fly a plane, or drink socially, you can't get a job, period.
I think the root problem is that companies provide health insurance. That's an illogical historical fluke that leads to distortions like unemployed people being unable to buy health insurance, or people being denied jobs for reasons unrelated to their job performance.
Companies are in the business of providing their primary service, not delivering human services. We buy our house insurance, car insurance, life insurance (beyond token amounts) from insurance brokers. Why don't we buy our own health insurance? |
You can buy your own health insurance if you want. Health Insurance assistance provided by a company is a BENEFIT. |
In theory, you can. In practice, the health insurance industry is so geared to health insurance being provided through employers that it's almost impossible to do so. And if you can, it will be at a far higher price than what it would cost through an employer. I've been in that situation when I was self employed. It's very, very difficult to buy your own insurance.
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lotek
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 12 Oct 2002
Posts: 1598
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 14:07 Post subject:
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| sinrakin wrote: | Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
On the other hand, if it catches on, it could be devastating. If all companies began to substantially restrict their employees activitees for insurance reasons, you might someday find that if you ski, or scuba dive, or fly a plane, or drink socially, you can't get a job, period.
I think the root problem is that companies provide health insurance. That's an illogical historical fluke that leads to distortions like unemployed people being unable to buy health insurance, or people being denied jobs for reasons unrelated to their job performance.
Companies are in the business of providing their primary service, not delivering human services. We buy our house insurance, car insurance, life insurance (beyond token amounts) from insurance brokers. Why don't we buy our own health insurance? |
exactly. If companies are paying your heath insurance, then they have every right to restrict your activities that might increase the cost of that insurance.
Benifits are a scam. You think your getting something for nothing, but in the end the cost is more than free market solutions (go figure)
btw, yes, im benifit free (contractor)
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FockTop
Sir Postalot
Joined: 23 Dec 2004
Posts: 1055
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 14:09 Post subject:
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Restrict healt insurance yes but to go as far as firing someone because they smoke...
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Silvermouse
RealPoor Jedi
Joined: 12 Oct 2002
Posts: 11015
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 15:47 Post subject:
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| sinrakin wrote: | Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
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Good! I don't like black people, jews nor Steeler fans, so please put on your resume if you are any of those so I can just toss it in the dumpster and save us all a lot of time!
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Mugaaz
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 16 Oct 2002
Posts: 3576
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 16:09 Post subject:
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| Silvermouse wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: | Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
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Good! I don't like black people, jews nor Steeler fans, so please put on your resume if you are any of those so I can just toss it in the dumpster and save us all a lot of time! |
These don't have an effect on job performance. If they did they can be criteria unless I'm mistaken. Why do you think all Hooter's waitresses are hot?
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Renork
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 23 Jun 2003
Posts: 6283
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 16:12 Post subject: Re: You smoke? You're fired.
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| Owyyn wrote: | http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm2476_20050124.htm
| Quote: | Okemos company fires 4 employees for refusing smoking test
Monday, January 24, 2005
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LANSING -- Four employees of Okemos-based health benefits administrator Weyco Inc. have been fired for refusing to take a test that would determine whether they smoke cigarettes.
The company instituted a policy on Jan. 1 that makes it a firing offense to smoke -- even if done after business hours or at home, the Lansing State Journal reported Monday.
Weyco founder Howard Weyers said previously that he instituted the tough anti-smoking rule to shield his company from high health care costs.
"I don't want to pay for the results of smoking," he said.
The anti-smoking rule led one employee to quit work before the policy went into place. Since Jan. 1, four more people were shown the door when they balked at the anti-smoking test.
"They were terminated at that point," said Chief Financial Officer Gary Climes.
Even so, Weyco said, the policy has been successful. Climes estimated that about 18 to 20 of the company's 200 employers were smokers when the policy was announced in 2003.
Of those, as many as 14 quit smoking before the policy went into place. Weyco offered them smoking cessation help, Climes said.
"That is absolutely a victory," Climes said.
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Maybe they can start firing people with cancer; they're just an insurance burden. |
Lung cancer from smoking, fire them all they want. Smokers will get no sympathy from me and there are plenty in my family. Comparing cancer from smoking to say, breast cancer or colin cancer is insane.
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Silvermouse
RealPoor Jedi
Joined: 12 Oct 2002
Posts: 11015
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 16:16 Post subject:
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| Mugaaz wrote: | | Silvermouse wrote: | | sinrakin wrote: | Strictly speaking, on grounds of freedom, I agree with this. You should be able to hire whomever you like.
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Good! I don't like black people, jews nor Steeler fans, so please put on your resume if you are any of those so I can just toss it in the dumpster and save us all a lot of time! |
These don't have an effect on job performance. If they did they can be criteria unless I'm mistaken. Why do you think all Hooter's waitresses are hot? |
Sure they do. Black people steal, Jews hoard office supplies and Steeler fans whine all the time.
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cheese
Luke Warm
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 241
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 18:07 Post subject:
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so if this is okay. They don't have to hire fat people cause they are more prone to health risk?
Or how about you have sinus problem that require meds but its driving up the price of insurance so your fired...
The list goes on...basically insurance is scam to start with.. but if you don't have it your screwed.
example
a friends grandmother who is 75 got in a accident the other day first one in her life she has been with the same insurance company for almost the whole time...They will insure her now for over $3000 a year where before she was paying like $800 a year for one accident. She has more than given them enough money in payments to cover that accident plus probably the next 5 she could get into easily from payments over her life time. And to top it off the accident wasn't even her fault.
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Mugaaz
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 16 Oct 2002
Posts: 3576
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 18:22 Post subject:
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People choose to smoke, people don't choose to have sinus problems.
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lotek
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 12 Oct 2002
Posts: 1598
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 18:30 Post subject:
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I dont really give a shit one way or another. An employer expects a certain amount of production from each employee for a certain amount of cost. If your production drops, or your cost increases to a point where it is no longer acceptable to the emplyeer, your ass should be out looking for a new job.
If you force your employer to pay for heath benifits, you better be healthy
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Kin
Luke Warm
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 388
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 20:23 Post subject:
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There's a simple solution, people who smoke should have to pay more for health care.
They pay more for life insurance, why not health care too?
Hell, I think they should pay double or triple what I pay for health care.
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Zorin
Luke Warm
Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 282
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Posted: 01/26/05 - 22:46 Post subject:
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If there's a lawsuit, the company will win. All they've got to do is offer potential employees a job on the condition that they don't smoke or will quit smoking once they're hired. If you don't want to stop smoking, no job for j00. It's your choice!
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gotissues68
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 1866
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Posted: 01/27/05 - 02:19 Post subject:
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I smoke and I would pay more to defer the costs associated with my lifestyle choice if my employer asked me to do so. Most states are no cause anyways so they wouldn't win in court. I think the point with the article though, is that the company itself is a health insurance provider and therefore the founder/owner didn't want to pay the costs associates with smoking being as such it would have directly affected him.
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Guest
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Posted: 01/27/05 - 02:24 Post subject:
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soon all restaraunts will be taco bell
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gotissues68
RealPoor Sensei
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 1866
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Posted: 01/27/05 - 02:26 Post subject:
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| Jack Crow wrote: | | soon all restaraunts will be taco bell |
It just proves the old axiom true, you'll never please everyone...
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