Smoke breaks at work
Unfair Smoke Breaks At Work
Question: ok i have a question for those who both do and do not smoke. at one of my previous jobs i fought this and my boss agreed with me. why is it those who smoke will take a 5 or so minute break to walk outside and smoke but those who do not smoke don’t get 5 minute breaks to walk outside? i use to work where the women would take about 5 breaks a day so i fought and would go sit outside for 5 minutes and call it my smoke break although i didn’t smoke. is this discrimination at all? can this actually be brought up as an unfair work environment? why or why not?
i did focus on my job but got mad when i saw that others did less work by taking more breaks. we were allowed and hr for lunch and they would take that hr as well yet would take quick breaks to smoke. if they want to get cancer fine but they should do it on their own time or clock out to smoke it is not right for those who choose not to smoke. as for the toilet thing that is different i doubt people go sit on the toilet to avoid work as long as it does not interfer with work and it is something they need to do, they do no need to smoke!
who not stop the pity party of smokers they go out in the cold and rain because they choose to. if they want to complain then stop smoking it is a choice they made and must deal with all i am saying is if they are allowed extra breaks to smoke then non-smokers should have the same rights.
Answer: As far as breaks go, and each state may be different, if you work x number of hours, you are legally allowed x number of minutes for a break. Smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em, but you’re entitled to x number of minutes.
If the company is allowing these smokers to take excessive mini-breaks so they can smoke, then it must be evenly applied so everyone can have a mini-break.
The best way to handle this is with your employee manual and its section on breaks. It must be applied evenly to all, including management.
I suggest clicking here to download this free help guide on how to document problems at work. It covers what to do when the employee manual says one thing, but there’s selective/preferential enforcement of the company rules.
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3 Responses to Smoke breaks at work
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It’s your employer’s responsibility to control this type of work place abuse. Smokers create more work for those who are smart enough not to smoke. Smokers should either quit or suffer in their cubicles.
Your employer has to offer you equal access to breaks during the day, but if your boss is letting people get up 5 times a day for a break, that is just bad. Usually people get two breaks and a lunch. If they can’t wait to smoke, give up the habit.
I would frequently go out with my co-workers who smoke during their break. I did not smoke.
Maybe you don’t go outside– but did you stop at a co-workers desk to chew that fat for a few minutes? There was a 5 minute break right there.
It is only an issue if the boss says that only smokers are entitled to these little breaks and non-smokers are not.
But then where does it stop? Next thing you know people will be complaining because a co-worker goes to tinkle too many times a day or spent too much time on the toilet.
Best thing to do is to worry about your job – the quality of your work and what goes on at your desk. What others do – is not your business and being a busy body does not win you any praise from the boss or your co-workers.