Employers are using smoking vs. non-smoking as one of the criteria to hire employees.
Whether a person smokes or not could be a deciding factor even before you have been E-Verified.
For smokers looking for gainful employment, their addiction makes the possibilities even harder than they may realize.
Fair Debate for Smokers and Non-Smokers
Smokers are willing and able to work in smoke-free environments and can put up with it in order to work.
Once that craving hits though, they will sneak outside on breaks to have a few puffs of nicotine until quitting time. The working smoker’s perception is they have the best of both worlds – a smoke-free environment on the inside of the workplace and a chance to smoke on the outside during working hours.
The non-smokers want to work in smoke-free environments. A smoking policy inside an employees place of employment will provide an environment free of second hand smoke … except:
What if the employee who smokes reeks of cigarettes
What if the second hand smoke finds its way through open windows, doors, and hallways from around the building.
What if smokers begin smoking in bathrooms, or stairwells?
Then an environment is not truly smoke free and for employees a non smoking is really non-existent.
The Win/Win/Lose
Hospitals and other smoke-free conscious employers are pulling out the stops for justifying their no smoking policies.
With the current healthcare reform policy, employers are justifying the testing of potential employees. Nicotine tests similar to random drug testing are qualified and being administered.
If non-smokers are hired it is less likely the employee will be hospitalized for ailments related to lung cancer. Insurance cost savings is the rationale for these tests because they can save on costly medical expenses in the future.
Medical costs will be considerably less because symptoms related to asthma, bronchial infections, and allergies will not exist. Families will be healthier and have less cause to visit the doctor or fill a prescription. Insurance premiums will not have to cover as many catastrophic illnesses related to smoking and second hand smoke.
If a ban on hiring smokers is embraced by businesses in all 50 states, a long road of tough economic times will be facing those that smoke if they refuse to quit. Smokers will feel defeated not because they lack the skills to perform their jobs but lack the skills to quit smoking to gain and keep their jobs. Being a smoker will have a stigma that has obvious and detrimental consequences.
Quit While You Can
These bans are the sign of the times and smokers need to prepare to move with them. If you are currently unemployed, be aware that your smoking addiction is a possible criterion as to whether you land the next job.
Still working and smoking? Higher insurance rates especially for smokers and other unnecessary risk takers are certain to be the norm. Cessation Programs may have some provisions that give you a timeline to quit before your insurance rates and premiums are dramatically increased.
An important part of your life may be your career. Do not let smoking be the thing that ends it.
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My son was just hired at a factory and they do not allow smoking anywhere on the premises. So if you are an addicted smoker that needs one at break time you are out of luck. You don’t have enough time to leave the premises because it would take you longer to get outside of the plant than your break time. Smokers are being discriminated against in most factory jobs.