Thread: County: Smokers need not apply

SARASOTA — Citing the burden they place on taxpayers who pay for government workers' health insurance, Sarasota County officials announced Monday that they no longer will hire smokers.

HeraldTribune.com - News - News stories about Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties in Florida, from the newspapers of record. - HeraldTribune.com

Good luck with that.

I salute their intentions but to turn away a high quality applicant who smokes for perhaps a lesser qualified applicant who doesn't smoke doesn't serve the taxpayers very well.

The hospital where I work has a policy that smoking is not permitted on its property. The result was that the small percentage of employees who smoke would leave their work stations and walk out to the public sidewalk to smoke. On company time! None smoking employees complained about smokers being effectively allowed paid breaks to smoke. The corporation changed the policy so that employees who wish to take a smoke break would be charged for a 30 minute unpaid break and if they were caught smoking on property they would be charged one days pay. That includes all medical staff.

Myself, I started smoking when I went to Vietnam in 68 and I quit in 98. Today I can't tolerate the smell of cigarette smoke. In my opinion employees who smoke should be required to attend smoking cessation classes and be provided with free smoking cessation aids.

The correct solution is for the county to stop providing health benefits to smokers and non-smokers alike and let the employees pay for their own health care.

A less correct thing to do is to permit the health insurance people charge a premium for smokers.

But hey, we're talking county employees, so it's not like they're getting the pick of the litter when it comes to employees anyway.

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

The correct solution is for the county to stop providing health benefits to smokers and non-smokers alike and let the employees pay for their own health care.

Good luck getting the county unions to agree.

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

A less correct thing to do is to permit the health insurance people charge a premium for smokers.

Why is that a "less correct thing to do?" Most major insurance carriers already do exactly that.

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

But hey, we're talking county employees, so it's not like they're getting the pick of the litter when it comes to employees anyway.

An unsupported and cavalier assumption.

The question I have is how will the government react when they actaully take over people's healthcare through Universial Healthcare coverage?

You know this type of rule and issue will come up. Some bean counter will determine it will save the government 70 million dollars a year if they prohibit people from riding motorcycles on Monday. You know the government will make some law to prohibit motorcycle riding on Monday. That's how the government works.

I do agree with Bourne. Smokers bad habit and rude behavior has brought some of this pressure on themselves.

Originally Posted by Bourne

Good luck getting the county unions to agree.

That develops the logic of morality.

Originally Posted by Bourne

Why is that a "less correct thing to do?" Most major insurance carriers already do exactly that.

Because the county is still paying for it's employees health insurance.

Originally Posted by Bourne

An unsupported and cavalier assumption.

You mean it's true.

Do counties pay more than federal or state agencies? Are they offering wages competitive with private industry?

Generally speaking, no.

Thus the best people are going somewhere else.

Get a grip already.

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

You mean it's true.

You have yet to demonstrate with any proof that your assertion is true.

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

Do counties pay more than federal or state agencies? Are they offering wages competitive with private industry?

Generally speaking, no.

That would depend on a comparsion between governemnt and private business. Do you have such a comparison to offer as proof?

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

Thus the best people are going somewhere else.

Again, a dramatic, unsupported and cavalier assumption.

Originally Posted by Notmyrealname

The question I have is how will the government react when they actaully take over people's healthcare through Universial Healthcare coverage?

You know this type of rule and issue will come up. Some bean counter will determine it will save the government 70 million dollars a year if they prohibit people from riding motorcycles on Monday. You know the government will make some law to prohibit motorcycle riding on Monday. That's how the government works.

I do agree with Bourne. Smokers bad habit and rude behavior has brought some of this pressure on themselves.

Except the rudest people I've seen are from the former smokers. Non-smokers can be pretty rude, but the worst are clearly those that have seen the Jesus of the Clean Lung and been SAVED HALLELUJAH!

Originally Posted by Bourne

You have yet to demonstrate with any proof that your assertion is true.

That's true enough.

My proof was in the sentence following the one you responded to.

Originally Posted by Bourne

That would depend on a comparsion between governemnt and private business. Do you have such a comparison to offer as proof?

No need to, I've seen county employees before.

Originally Posted by Bourne

Again, a dramatic, unsupported and cavalier assumption.

Let me guess. You work for a county government.

Originally Posted by Freedom for All

Except the rudest people I've seen are from the former smokers. Non-smokers can be pretty rude, but the worst are clearly those that have seen the Jesus of the Clean Lung and been SAVED HALLELUJAH!

As an ex-smoker I don't consider it rude to tell a smoker to stand away from me so that I don't have to breath in second hand smoke.

I've found that most smokers tend to rudely impose their filthy habit on others.