Why is it okay to fire a smoker?

You can't fire them FOR being a smoker, unless they're not allowed to smoke while they are working, and do so anyway. It's against the fire codes of MOST public buildings, anyway.

Just like you can fire someone for showing up drunk at work, or having sex on the clock (assuming they're not a prostitute, and that's the job description).

Me, I'm not going to hire someone who's blatantly a smoker in the first place - just like I won't hire someone with bad hygiene. Both of them smell, and I don't want to be smelling that. Plus, with smokers, they're running outside every two hours to have their 15 minute break and smoke. Nonsmokers don't do that, so over the course of a full year, will actually put in about one week MORE than a smoker.

YOUR question answered one point at a time.

Yes, alcoholics should get fired if they are drunk at work, or if they bring their booze to work. Alcohol is illegal to minors (here in the states) and unlike smoking causes many more traffic accidents than anything else possible. So you have a point about alcoholics. Smokers however haven't been ban from many public smoking areas till recently.

As far as STD's many of them you can't get until you have had much more than friendly contact with that person. And many of them in early stages can be undetected as their only symptom is a burning urine sensation.

Now your question about firing people with bacterial infections: That would be something like a UTI, a ear infection (which can make a person really sick), strep throat etc. Many bacterial infections cause people to miss work anyway. So they could be the target of getting fired if they missed way to much work or was sick all the time.

Bad hygeine: That is hard. I mean no one wants to be around someone who smells bad, at all. Oh wait smokers don't smell good next to a non smoker. And yes this non smoker can smell a smoker coming, sometimes as far as arms length distence or farther away. That of course depends on the # of ciggerattes smoked in a row.

So if you got fired for smoking I wonder if you have had warrnings about smoking at work. I also wonder if your company had a zero tollerance policy. I also think that when you finally do quit you will look back on this and wonder why the smokers were not cracked down on this issue harder for. Trust me there i know ex-smokers.

Each situation is unique and if one is faced with an employment termination situation, it is best to contact a qualified lawyer/counsel.

Generally speaking... under "at will" employment contracts, an employee can be fired for any or no reason. However, depending on the state / federal jurisdiction and / or other conditions, it may be unlawful to discriminate based on factors such as: Race, Color, Religion, National origin, Age (40 and over), Sex, Sexual orientation, Gender identity, Disability status, Veteran status, and/or Genetic Information.

You will notice that the condition of being a smoke or non-smoker is not listed as a factor. So a smoker can expect little legal protection for just being a smoker!

People with STD or infection may fall under disability and therefore may have legal protection.

I worked in 1 company in the 1980's that was one of the 1st to ban smoking. You were only allowed to smoke between the hours of 11 am to 1 pm which was the time that most people went to lunch. So if anyone was caught outside and not in those times allowed, was to be fired per company policy regardless if management or lowly employee.

There is a private school here that specifically states in their contract that any employee caught smoking/drinking will be fired. This would apply if at your own house, or seen at a restaurant enjoying a glass of wine. Now that is the extreme when it applys to your personal life, but it is in the contract they sign when they are hired.

If you were fired for smoking, most likely the issue was not specifically for smoking but most likely other issues plus maybe taking too many "smoke" breaks would be my guess.

I would think they would have to provide or cover the cost of thing such as the patch or gum. I know my job did this for a few years, I work at a resort and spa so they encourage "clean living" but never threatened to fire anyone who still decide to smoke like myself. They no longer and I quite for my own reasons about a month ago. I didn't see how its ok to fire someone for smoking, especially if you smoked before you started working there

ok Im a smoker, yet Im a considerate smoker. I never take greater breaks then Im prepared to conceal. yet this is a sprint that I gave my sister who additionally had this undertaking. purchase your self a %. of cigarettes, Virginia slims ideally by way of fact no person will attempt to bum one from you. Now people will ask once you started smoking and only tell them youve smoked for awhile only started smoking greater at present. once you pass exterior mild the cigarette yet you dont fairly could take useful on it when you consider that whilst maximum each and every physique is exterior smokeing mutually they're greater or much less there to gossip. this gives you with the greater breaks which you fairly desire. it particularly is going to additionally factor out to them how annoying it particularly is to be asked to do something for somebody else so often. good luck, and not all people who smoke are thoughtless

Unless you are under contract, it is OK to fire an employee for no reason or any reason. If the boss does not want you there anymore, you are gone.

What most smokers fail to realize is how bad they smell to non smokers, and how much paid company time they waste standing outside puffing cigarettes while non smokers are at their stations working and earning their pay.

There is a basic difference: No one has to smoke. It is a choice. You have the option to stop smoking. No one has the option to stop having AIDS. No one has the option to stop being an alcoholic. (An alcoholic is defined as anyone who has become addicted to alcohol, whether or not they still drink.)

Most alcoholics who do not stop drinking do get fired (for coming to work drunk, not for being alcoholics).

An employer can fire someone for bad hygiene.

STD's are not harmful to co-workers (unless they have sex on the job, which would be a reason to fire them even if they were healthy).

People with Herpes don't take 15 minutes sex breaks every hour. Smoke at home after hours. Most people don't see smokers as overly efficient workers when you see them in huddled masses outside in the rain catching a smoke.

Im not telling you what to do with your life but you should probably just quit. You will live longer, you will be healthier, and you'll notice pretty quickly you have alot more pocket money all the sudden.