Smoke Break

thecanface
thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
edited September 28 in Chit-Chat
It really annoys me that smokers can take 15 minute breaks every hour without anyone telling them anything, and if i NEED to run to the little convenience store for some tissue, i have someone say "oooh does your boss know your not at your desk??" or "i was looking for you, where were you??" or even if i come into work 15 minutes late, someone is there to give me a look.. It's like i have to take up Cancer in order for it to be okay that i get paid for 8 hours in a day, when really i only work 6 and no one tell me crap about it??? well that's not fair, is it?? i have actually thought to myself "what if i just hold a cigarrette in my hand... maybe they'll buy it, and i can do anything i want.." just so that i can take a break! i know some people are addicted, and it can be REALLY hard to stop - my poor step dad tried and tried is little heart out and i never happened for him,and it probably never will.. but i don't think it's fair that i stay at my desk and work, & they are being paid for working, when they aren't doin crap. (i approve timesheets, so i know they ARE being paid for that time they are on a break :mad: )

oh yeah, and there's this dude who goes to starbuck EVERY hour, no joke! i bet he wastes more time in the line than smokers do to finish a cancer stick... NOT COOL!

anyone else ever think this???

P.S. i will deduct the 7 minutes it took me to post this :laugh:

P.S.#2 though I don't mean to offend anyone, because frankly, i don't know any of you... I already know this is going to piss people off, just because there are some people who just can't have a normal read without getting their little panties in a bunch, or needing to find something negative to say or getting their feelings hurt because for some reason they think i am talking about them in particular.... but i said it anyway because i need to vent to strangers because i really don't give a crap about your feelings.:heart:
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Replies

  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    :flowerforyou: I don't blame ya! I was a smoker for years, but I always smoked on the way to work, during lunch and on the way home. I didn't feel it was right to take a million smoke breaks. Plus, limiting my cigarettes actually kept me from smoking a pack a day.
  • JenniferH81
    JenniferH81 Posts: 285 Member
    I've worked with people who started smoking just for the breaks.
  • Guanaco
    Guanaco Posts: 3 Member
    I'm a part time smoker and have always thought the same thing. It is a little weird that in the work place it's almost that you penalized for being healthy. I used to have a friend of mine come out with me on my smoke breaks and when our boss asked him where he was going, (since he didn't smoke) he would just replay for a fresh air break.
  • Helice
    Helice Posts: 1,075 Member
    when i use to smoke i always wondered why everyone doesnt get 5 minute breaks...
    and now that i dont smoke anymore, even though i still wish i coudl smoke so badly.
    when i had a job i would sit at my desk and be like damn *kitten* get to go out.
    and im stuck up in here.
    i wanna go sit in the sun for 5 minutes...
    it does suck because it makes u think not only do i really want a *kitten*, but if i had one i could sit outside for 5 minutes...

    but i no what u mean..
    i think everyone should get the break, and its up to u what u do with the time!
    smokers shoudl smoke and everyone else should get to do what ever they wanna do for 5 minutes....

    but i think that guy shouldnt be allowd to go to the shop for his mini break if people who dont smoke arnt allowd to..
  • sweetiepie31612
    sweetiepie31612 Posts: 240 Member
    My employer doesn't allow smoke breaks and I think that's how it should be. It's not fair. You wanna smoke, do it before, after, or during your lunch break
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    I'm a part time smoker and have always thought the same thing. It is a little weird that in the work place it's almost that you penalized for being healthy. I used to have a friend of mine come out with me on my smoke breaks and when our boss asked him where he was going, (since he didn't smoke) he would just replay for a fresh air break.

    "It is a little weird that in the work place it's almost that you penalized for being healthy. " i thought the same!!!
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
    I am an ex smoker and have never been at a job that has allowed me to go out every hour for a 15 minute smoke break. Sounds like the issue lies a little higher up than the average worker...
  • Slayer66
    Slayer66 Posts: 265
    LOL I understand. When I smoked one that stands out is I was outside having a smoke when a non smoker stopped and chatted a sec. The supervisor then came out looked at him and asked if he had something to do. He left and me and my supervisor stood there talking and smoking for the next 30 mins. May have been longer but we had to leave for lunch =).

    Now that I don't smoke I just go for water breaks etc instead. Or if I go outside i walk instead of standing around.
  • Helice
    Helice Posts: 1,075 Member
    My employer doesn't allow smoke breaks and I think that's how it should be. It's not fair. You wanna smoke, do it before, after, or during your lunch break

    but u cant always have a boss who was fair..
    the office i worked at Everyone smoked except for me and this pregnant lady.
    and because so many people smoked, and because there were so many *kitten* brakes he changed the rules so that people could smoke inside aslong as they were near a window...
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    My employer doesn't allow smoke breaks and I think that's how it should be. It's not fair. You wanna smoke, do it before, after, or during your lunch break

    yep! or, give EVERYONE the break. or if not, then if they NEED to smoke, then MAKE them deduct that time from their hours worked..
  • maureendonahue
    maureendonahue Posts: 468 Member
    I admit, I am a smoker, and you didn't hurt my feelings! :smile:

    I actually agree with you. This drove me crazy at my last job too!
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
    I can relate! I haven't smoked in 9 years, but seriously considering starting up again just so I can take a break at work! I mean, I see 6 people out there smoking from one division at my company, and that's cool. But if I run to the store and am back in less time it takes for them to polish of a cigarette (Or two if the gossip they are sharing while smoking is real good), I get questioned.
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
    How about those people that are supposed to be working, but they're on some non-work related website?
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    How about those people that are supposed to be working, but they're on some non-work related website?

    like me on MFP!!! lol no.. at least we can work at the same time since we're at out desks! on the phone, doing verifications approving things.. i know i don't take lunch away from my desk because i know i at least waste an hour on this damn website.. shame shame...
  • kfitz10103
    kfitz10103 Posts: 354
    At my job we have 4 smokers out of 25 people and they get their own covered bench area to smoke, but I know the one who works in my department still gets her work done. She also leaves lunch early so I don't think it is an issue. Our workplace wouldn't say anything to anyone else if we wanted to go out too though. I think we all only work about 6 hours out of our 8 hour day. (I know I'm on here alot) so I don't think that an extra four 5 minute breaks would make that big of a difference. I guess I would feel differently if non smokers weren't given the same perks though.
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    I am an ex smoker and have never been at a job that has allowed me to go out every hour for a 15 minute smoke break. Sounds like the issue lies a little higher up than the average worker...

    i agree! i don't understand how they can allow this, or not see it.
  • ♥Faerie♥
    ♥Faerie♥ Posts: 14,053 Member
    The place I work is really laid back, family owned (not my fam), and mostly family members that work here. The ones that smoke, well, I would say they are outside smoking for at least a total of two hours a day, and this is not counting lunch, which a normal lunch for them, around an hour and a half or so.
    I get a 30 min lunch, and no breaks.....
    BUT, I am ok with that, I make up for it by screwing around online all day:tongue:
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    At my job we have 4 smokers out of 25 people and they get their own covered bench area to smoke, but I know the one who works in my department still gets her work done. She also leaves lunch early so I don't think it is an issue. Our workplace wouldn't say anything to anyone else if we wanted to go out too though. I think we all only work about 6 hours out of our 8 hour day. (I know I'm on here alot) so I don't think that an extra four 5 minute breaks would make that big of a difference. I guess I would feel differently if non smokers weren't given the same perks though.

    Lucky!! let's trade jobs!! :tongue:
  • brewingaz
    brewingaz Posts: 1,136 Member
    How about those people that are supposed to be working, but they're on some non-work related website?

    You think we're bad? The smokers probably come on here too AND take 6 smoke breaks a day.
  • T_R_A_V
    T_R_A_V Posts: 1,629 Member
    Agreed....and I hate when they come into work after their smoke break and how they smell....it reaks....
  • DangerRanger
    DangerRanger Posts: 327 Member
    They don't let us medicinal marijuana smokers have breaks either!
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    Agreed....and I hate when they come into work after their smoke break and how they smell....it reaks....

    OMG!!! I WAS GONNA SAY THAT!! but i already knew someone would probably hunt me down say " I SMOKE BUT I DONT STINK! RAWWRR!!" Then shoot me in the head.. anyway.. on the elevator, when they come back from smoking, and you're trapped in a 6x8 box with that stank for 1 LONGGG minute... sometimes i get the feeling of throwing up just from tthat..
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    How about those people that are supposed to be working, but they're on some non-work related website?

    You think we're bad? The smokers probably come on here too AND take 6 smoke breaks a day.

    OMG TRUE!! seriously only work 4 hours a day.
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    I just wish my co-worker would spray herself down with Fabreze or something when she comes back in from a smoke break. We share an office and it's hard for me to breath when she comes back in from smoking.
  • morganhccstudent724
    morganhccstudent724 Posts: 1,261 Member
    I used to work at a job that had the same problem until.....I started taking 15 minute "Pepsi breaks" because I am addicted to caffeine. I told my boss that I think Human Resources would have a problem with discriminating against addictions.

    Rule went out 1 week later: No more ciggy breaks unless you were clocked off.

    The backlash sucked...Nothing I couldn't handle but the looks weren't pretty. Lucky for me, I'm used to people hating me anyway...lol
  • VELVET2688
    VELVET2688 Posts: 40
    i think you should tell your co-workers you went out for a "smoke break" even though you don't smoke... cause thats the excuse they accept.
  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
    I've worked with people who started smoking just for the breaks.

    that is stupid lol. ive said i picked up smoking but didnt and just chilled for a bit heheh. There is this one guy i work with you can smell him before you see him. He is out smoking like once every 30 minutes i swear. it is freakn nasty.
  • T_R_A_V
    T_R_A_V Posts: 1,629 Member
    Agreed....and I hate when they come into work after their smoke break and how they smell....it reaks....

    OMG!!! I WAS GONNA SAY THAT!! but i already knew someone would probably hunt me down say " I SMOKE BUT I DONT STINK! RAWWRR!!" Then shoot me in the head.. anyway.. on the elevator, when they come back from smoking, and you're trapped in a 6x8 box with that stank for 1 LONGGG minute... sometimes i get the feeling of throwing up just from tthat..

    Its okay they can hunt me down....but I only spit facts here
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
    How about those people that are supposed to be working, but they're on some non-work related website?

    shhhhhhhh I couldn't imagine anyone being on this website during working hours. :bigsmile:
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    I used to work at a job that had the same problem until.....I started taking 15 minute "Pepsi breaks" because I am addicted to caffeine. I told my boss that I think Human Resources would have a problem with discriminating against addictions.

    Rule went out 1 week later: No more ciggy breaks unless you were clocked off.

    The backlash sucked...Nothing I couldn't handle but the looks weren't pretty. Lucky for me, I'm used to people hating me anyway...lol

    HAHAHAA I seriously laughed at this.. that's a brilliant idea! although i wouldnt mind taking the break.. just not cool i get **** for not smoking when i am on it :(
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