Issues around bans on hiring smokers

[Fazer]

Pennsylvania's Geisinger Health System recently announced that starting in February it would no longer hire smokers and will screen for nicotine use among new employees. Pennsylvania is one of 20 states that allow bans on hiring smokers. Around the country more and more organizations, particularly hospitals, are embracing non-nicotine hiring policies as a way to promote wellness and save money on employee health care costs. In this hour we’ll look at this trend and the ethical and health implications with guests MICHAEL SIEGEL, professor of Community Health Sciences at Boston University's School of Public Health; and PAUL TERPELUK, medical director of Employee Health Services at the Cleveland Clinic, which was the first institution to put in place a nicotine-hiring ban in 2007.

http://whyy.org/cms/radiotimes/2012/...iring-smokers/

I wonder what would happen with a positive nicotine test from nicotine gum or other smokeless products. I'd like to see that in court ... They didn't hire me because i quit smoking .... I'm sure the pharmaceutical companies would love that publicity ... Use our products and don't get a job!! I'm sure you could sue the pharmaceutical company, and the company that didn't employ you for NOT being a smoker

[precious007]

screen for nicotine use among new employees.

if they do nicotine screening

then I guess any nicotine forms will be counted.

[Fazer]

It’s about not hiring new smokers. If you’ve been off the smokes for a few weeks with NRT, technically you don’t smoke! They way I see it, you’re being punished for giving up! At one point during the mp3 interview the guy talks about helping existing employees quit with NRT, yet a new guy doesn’t get the job because he flags positive for NRT nicotine, it’s just hypocritical. If your employer doesn’t let you smoke at work, that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with that. However, your employer can’t dictate what you do at home. Another step too far in the nanny state imo

[precious007]

It’s about not hiring new smokers. If you’ve been off the smokes for a few weeks with NRT, technically you don’t smoke! They way I see it, you’re being punished for giving up! At one point during the mp3 interview the guy talks about helping existing employees quit with NRT, yet a new guy doesn’t get the job because he flags positive for NRT nicotine, it’s just hypocritical. If your employer doesn’t let you smoke at work, that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with that. However, your employer can’t dictate what you do at home. Another step too far in the nanny state imo

basically the whole idea behind this is that they DO NOT want to have smokers as their employees period.

out of all smokers probably only 1% are social smokers - hence you can't smoke at home and quit while at work *that rarely happens.

I guess most employers don't want to see their employees stuffing snuff up their nose, dipping tobacco, chewing on nicotine gum either :-)

the only option left would be snus, and that if they'd use mini-portions something that is impossible to notice..... or the nicotine patch which in my opinion is the least effective and sometimes toxic NRT form.

[Fazer]

basically the whole idea behind this is that they DO NOT want to have smokers as their employees period.

out of all smokers probably only 1% are social smokers - hence you can't smoke at home and quit while at work *that rarely happens.

I guess most employers don't want to see their employees stuffing snuff up their nose, dipping tobacco, chewing on nicotine gum either :-)

the only option left would be snus, and that if they'd use mini-portions something that is impossible to notice..... or the nicotine patch which in my opinion is the least effective and sometimes toxic NRT form.

True, I’m with you on that. The more I think about it, the more I think they’re anti nicotine, because they screen for nicotine. The anti group is moving from smoking to anything nicotine. He/they best not get us lot started on the benefits of harm reduction

[lxskllr]

It's none of their damned business whether you smoke or not. What you do in your own time is up to you. People are handing their rights over like candy. The companies own the government, and they're trying to own the civil population.

[Fazer]

It's none of their damned business whether you smoke or not. What you do in your own time is up to you. People are handing their rights over like candy. The companies own the government, and they're trying to own the civil population.

+1

Very true mate