Controversial Topic: Smokers who take periodic breaks at work....fair or not fair.

[bruce95fmla]

Well, where I work there are a lot of employee's. I tend to notice everyone who passes by my desk. The smoking area is right next to me out the double glass doors. From working here the past few months I tend to notice the regular smokers who come out and smoke.

They will tend to come out like every 20 - 30 minutes and then procede to stay outside for about 15-20 minutes. The amount of time that they spend out there will vary based on weather. If it is cold, they will just come down with there coats and stay for short bursts. If it is warm, they will go out and stay for about 20 minutes or so. Most times they will come down in a pack of about 3 - 5 or just a max of 2 sometimes.

Mind you I have nothing against smokers, what people choose to do with there lives is their god given right.

My Question to others is, Is it fair for the employee's who don't smoke and don't have this ability to be away from there desks so often and for such a long space of time.
Me and a co-worker were speaking about this yesterday.

We know that all the regular employee's don't take these sorts of breaks..
Is it really fair to other employee's..?

Your thought's please.
And be controversial if you have to....\


thanks
Bruce

[redfyre]

id say its unfair.

allow non smokers to take the same number/length of breaks, OR dont pay smokers for their time away from the desk.

My thoughts exactly.

[bruce95fmla]

I will post in this section every time they come down here for a smoke and for how long they stay.. or I will try and keep in on a paper.
I really don't want that paper around though.

----------------------

Seriously though, I don't want this to be a one sided thing and it's not meant to put down any one or person who smokes. I just find it odd that something like this can happen in a coperations and noone really says anything about it.

I don't know if cigarets are that addictive, but it's pretty odd that you would need so many breaks in a short space of time.

-______________________

Now noone has come down as yet, which is weird, as I know Bob and Joe, also Kim would be down by now. I know Bob and Kim will be down in a bit. As for Joe he is not that frequent.

[bruce95fmla]

maybe you do.

start witing it down and find out exactly how many hours per day they are being paid to be outside doing nothing.


then send it (annon maybe) to your boss.

Na.. I refuse to go that far... Bro no matter what I think, these people also gotta pay rent and eat also. Just like me. I can't do such a thing that could cause a person to loose the ability to put food on their table.

[Brad]

i think it is unfair. They actually addressed this at my job (most of the people are paid hourly), and it was stated that anyone found to be smoking on anything other than an official break or lunch would be written up. If you work an 8 hour shift, that is two fifteen minute breaks and one thirty minute lunch. Since that sign was put up, I have noticed considerably less people going out there. It used to be that I would go out there and expect at least one person to be out there, now it has slowed down considerably. I would definatly keep a tally and then submit it (anonymously) to your boss, or possibly someone higher up that oversees the other departments too.

[Brad]

Na.. I refuse to go that far... Bro no matter what I think, these people also gotta pay rent and eat also. Just like me. I can't do such a thing that could cause a person to loose the ability to put food on their table.

I wouldnt write names down on the paper, just

Employee 1: |||||||
Employee 2: ||||||||||||||

And so on, and then when they see how many tally marks, they will realize that people are going outside a lot more than they should be.

[bruce95fmla]

I wouldnt write names down on the paper, just

Employee 1: |||||||
Employee 2: ||||||||||||||

And so on, and then when they see how many tally marks, they will realize that people are going outside a lot more than they should be.

ok cool ...

already got 1 person..
I will post it either tonight or later today.

[redfyre]

Na.. I refuse to go that far... Bro no matter what I think, these people also gotta pay rent and eat also. Just like me. I can't do such a thing that could cause a person to loose the ability to put food on their table.

Then they should be working at work not taking smoke breaks.

[bruce95fmla]

Then they should be working at work not taking smoke breaks.

Yes that is true.
by the way I got 4 people on my list ... came down once so far.

Group of 2 are still out there.

[Kevin]

as a smoker, i take the opportunity to take a smoke break if i can get away with it. if someone says something about it, i nic-fit, but get over it. with people taking so much time for smoke breaks, it leads to alot of lost productivity, creates higher health care premiums, can actually CAUSE depression, it creates a world of problems most of you would only begin to assume. is it fair by any means, no! but as long as no one says anything about it, i haven't a care.
kevin

[goldstar]

I'm not a smoker but isn't leaving the office to take a smoking break in the same category as sitting at your desk and taking a "forum" break? In both cases, the work you're being paid for is not being done. Just a thought.

[silver03p5]

as a smoker trying to quit, i think that it isnt fair for them to take that long. id say that they should if they take such a break, just take one long enough to smoke the cig. when im at work, most places ive worked - golf courses, car washes etc, you can smoke at work, dont need to take a break - which makes it much easier. One place i worked, on campus, i had to wait 3 hours before i could take a break...so i did, and got over it. i think ppl that take breaks every 30 minutes are just bored, and need something to do...i can last a day without a smoke if i have to...anything more than that is hard

[bruce95fmla]

I'm not a smoker but isn't leaving the office to take a smoking break in the same category as sitting at your desk and taking a "forum" break? In both cases, the work you're being paid for is not being done. Just a thought.

That's a good point.
But your still at your pc, so it takes you relatively no time to get back on par with your work. Also most people upstairs don't get much time to be on any forum or surfing the net.

[ne3ek]

I think, gasoline fumes should be sprayed right out of the exit doors at all times, thatll stop those bastard smokers.

[silver03p5]

havent you seen team america world police? a smoker saved the world!