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Is it discrimination for a company to institute a smoke-free policy?

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  • 04-28-2005, 05:01 PM
    ESCO
    Is it discrimination for a company to institute a smoke-free policy?
    The company that I currently work for has decided to go smoke free after 20 or more years in business. They are also charging smokers in the company if they smoke on their own time, a higher premium on their health coverage.

    Although smoking is one of the highest rate "killer" in the USA. Would this not be considered as discrimination? This company also has quite a few employees that are obese and obesity is vastly catching up with the death rate of smokers. If they can charge those who smoke higher rate insurance and force them to quit, can they also force people who work for the company that are obese higher rates and force them to stop eating high calorie food?

    Also, I know that smoking affects other people and overeating doesn't but the smokers have already been forced to go outside and freeze their bungs off in the winter for the last couple of years anyway.
  • 04-29-2005, 05:36 AM
    aaron
    Company Firing Smokers
    Unless Georgia has a law forbidding it, employers can discriminate against smokers. A Michigan company recently enacted a policy of firing all smokers, even if they don't smoke at work - and as there is no law protecting smokers, they have no legal recourse.

    One of the benefits to being in a union is that employers can't pull this kind of stunt. But then, labor laws have been so weakened, and public perceptions have shifted against unions, such that it is difficult to organize a non-union workplace.
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