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Company tests for and will not hire smokers

Grimmerick
Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
I was comparing salaries online and I came across a job posting for a private hospital, they tested potential employees for cotinine and stated they would not hire anyone who smokes cigarettes because it is unhealthy and preventable. I don't know how I feel about this, on the one hand it is a private company and smoking is bad for you, on the other hand where does it stop and is it really any of their business anyway? Next will they not hire morbidly obese people or people that drink too much on their time off? There is a lot of preventable things we as humans do that can be detrimental to our health, so what comes next. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    There are many companies that test for and will fire you if you fail a cannabis test, and it is legal. How is this any different? I don't have an issue with it.

    I had to sit next to a lady who smoked. She smoked outside on her breaks. I had to take EXTRA antihistamines so I could do my job and not be sick. How is that fair? Her choices (smoking) were infringing on my right to a healthy place to work.

    cannabis is not legal where I live nor is it legal everywhere................yet. I also said that I don't think people should even be allowed to wear perfume to work in certain environments and I don't think they should be allowed to reek of smoke either but some smokers do not do that, they don't smoke at work or come to work smelling like smoke, this would affect them. I don't think being able to wear perfume is fair either, my friend gets horrible migraines and there is nothing she can do about it if the other person wants to wear perfume.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,793 Member
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  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    With my husband's company we get penalized for smoking/high BMI/bad blood work (mandatory bloodwork every fall). These are all factors that put people at higher risk for medical care so I understand why companies are starting to implement the rules/testing.

    That may be a step too far for my comfort...what can they use as "bad" in bloodwork? Thryroid? Cholesterol? Blood glucose? Alcohol or marijuana? That seems like a very slippery slope.

    The place I work doesn't punish those who refuse their yearly physical, it just doesn't reward them. If I do my yearly physical and the three steps in the program, my weekly pay out goes down $20 and I get a $250 good life card. If someone chooses not to do it, their pay out doesn't change.