Tobacco-Free County Employees: A Good Idea?
2008 will start out with a new policy applying to newly hired county employees.
Effective January 1, the county will no longer consider job applications from prospective employees unless they include an affidavit stating they have not used tobacco products for at least one year and won’t use them for as long as they are employed by the county. Current county employees are exempt from the “no-tobacco” policy. Also, the policy applies only to the employees in the departments under the county commission but not to the employees of other constitutional officers (e.g. sheriff, tax collector, clerk of courts).
A major reason for the new policy is to reduce health insurance costs.
What do you think: A good policy?
posted by Blog Master @ 1:15 PM
32 Comments:
It's a good policy but why not have it for all County employees including school employees? Isn't it discriminating?
Don
(OTOW)
Add alcohol and Big Macs and it's a good policy.
Dumb-already difficult to find good employees in Ocala and now more difficult for government jobs. Can just see two applicants for a difficult to hire position. One meets the qualifications and doesn’t smoke. The second far exceeds the qualifications but is a smoker. Who gets hired? You bet, leave it to the government to hire the average one.
They should not hire fat people either. They also have health problems.
Even better, fat people should not be allowed to run for any office that provides them health care!!!
Whose bright idea is this regulation? Sounds like Howard the dictator. What's next? How about not hiring blacks because they have more illnesses than whites?
Just charge smokers higher health insurance premiums than those who don't smoke. If they want to lower their premiums then stop smoking.
I am for reducing the cost of government and maybe eliminating smokers is one way to do it.
However, this ought to just about secure an affirmative vote for a county employee's union. That will increase the cost of government well beyond any potential reduction in health care costs realized from banning smoking. What else can Howard think up before he leaves, or is forced out?
Let's also eliminate the overweight and drinkers; random blood tests for alcohol where a current employee's refusal to test equals immediate termination. First thing Monday would be a start. To include all employees to include department heads. Let's also get rid of those already receiving any sort of government pension or who are retirement eligible. Never hire anyone with more tham two dependents or with known illnesses. Doubt this was Howard's initiative or someone on his staff.
Where's our High Sheriff on this policy? A way to have a healthier Sheriffs Department and he's not on board. My Oh My!! Guess he's too busy being sure the prisoners are well taken care of.
To All County Employees:
Visit our website and see what we can do to protect your rights that are being eroded by your management.
www.afscme.org/
If the county is really serious about saving money, which from all indications they aren't, go for zero based budgeting, ZBB.
If there ever was a time for ZBB, the time is now, what with declining revenues and a stalemate in growth, this is a no brainer.
I have not seen any visible signs if leadership from the County Commission, who seem to be wimpy and insecure.
Time to quit being reactive and be proactive. ZBB would be a great place to start.
Clayton Ellsworth
Do you think any of the County Commissioners are smokers?
They'll never be able to enforce it.
Just remember, the city already has a similar policy in effect.
Might as well toss in checking the tooth to dog ratio as well.
City Guy:
Wouldn’t be surprised if Jim Payton chews tobacco. And that Barb Fitos she is SMOKING HOT!
Our overweight population has far more health problems than smokers. I spent the last month at the ortodopedics office and every single patient was obese. Wonder why they have leg, knee, diabetes & heart problems. I sure hope someone has the guts to take this one to court. Why not ban alcohol as well for all city and county employees. Like that would ever fly? They'd be up in arms. I knew this was coming when they banned smoking in restaurants. It's just going to escalate..Just make smokers and the obese pay a higher premium. It's that simple.
Bob, Please visit your optometrist!
Smokin hot______You guys are killin me!
Smokers better get with it--you are a dying breed. Even France is putting the stops on smoking. We should be more aggressive in stopping this nasty habit. I'm all for what the County is doing.
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,319426,00.html
If the county wants to save money, they should hire more minorities than whites in order to reduce the county’s cost of providing prescription drugs for pain. It is a documented fact that minorities receive less prescription pain killers than whites. How about hiring fewer whites and more minorities? LOL
A Star-Banner editorial does not favor the no-tobacco policy of the County for new hires.
Contact The Star-Banner and ask this question: Does the editor of today’s editorial smoke, chew and/or dip tobacco?
Voice of Reason says . . . .
The cost of smoking is much more than the doctor bills for the smokers and the second-hand breathers.
First, you have to pay for the clean-up of all of the butts that the smokers throw on the ground everywhere. Smokers don't consider it littering to throw their butt anywhere and everywhere. I like to tell smokers that the dropped something when they throw their butt down. Usually they stop because they think that their wallet fell out or that something fell out of their bag. They look around and then finally start walking again. It makes me feel good that I wasted their time.
Second, smokers cost millions in soap, laundry detergent and handi-wipes because non-smokers have to wash that nasty smell off.
Third, smokers waste time because they always start coughing when they speak. Time is money so that is a waste of money.
Fourth, smokers create the cycle of poverty. Every time that I pull up to a convenience store there is a heavy-set young woman employee smoking out front. Because she sees me pull up, she throw down and steps on 3/4 of unburned cigarette. That means that she has to buy more cigarettes which means that she has to continue to work at the convenience store which means that she can't get some education to crawl up into a better paying job.
Fifth, smoking is a dated habit. Everyone agrees that this County has to move into the modern world. Nobody smokes anymore. Everyone knows that smoking only exists as a result of parents who are terrible role models and tobacco companies that prey upon the young and impressionable.
Sixth, banning smoking will help prevent unplanned and unwed pregnancies. The less smokers on the rolls, the less promiscuous sex and other risky behavior. Everyone knows, "If she smokes . . . she pokes."
The County looks to be moving forward to a better future.
VoR
Voice--You are a hoot!!!!
I'll quit smoking when the invitations stop to those fundraising parties where you liquor your guests up in hopes that I/they will write a huge fat check for your cause (all while your wife, husband and the other reformed smokers are all bumming cigarettes from me). Interesting that my smoking doesn't bother anyone then....
I heard today that the County Fire Department has had this same policy for quite awhile. Anybody know how it is working? I know at least two County firemen who smoke.
Barack Obama, a smoker, couldn't get a job with the Marion County government. But he is OK as potentially the next President of the U.S. Does that make sense to anyone out there in blogger land? It sure doesn't to me. A stupid policy--repeal it.
Voice of Reasons says . . . .
Just read a story about Europe enforcing a wave of anti-smoking measures. In this world of depressing trends, anit-smoking laws are a welcome trend.
With Hussein Barak Osama, just more evidence that he is a follower and not a leader.
VoR
sorry to interrupt but hillary has come in 3rd in Iowa.
can't wait to hear the spin.
From a July 12, 2007 Austin American Statesman interview with Michele Obama posted on www.barackobama.com:
“Has Senator Obama quit smoking? Yes, he has.”
There are also several references on the internet to an April 2007 appearance on Letterman in which Obama said he had quit.
He could have relapsed, but if he has, I haven’t seen the evidence.
Smoking habits are not the issue with Obama. Obama mentions his church during various appearances. It's the Trinity Church of Christ. Please go to his church's website and read what is written there:
www.tucc.org/about.htm
It is very alarming. Barack Obama is a member of this church and is running for President of the U.S. If you look at the first page of their website, you will learn that this congregation has a non-negotiable commitment to Africa. No where is AMERICA even mentioned.
Notice too, what color you will need to be if you should want to join Obama's church... B-L-A-C-K!!!
Certainly a racist, as plainly defined by the stated position of his church! And possibly a covert worshiper of the Muslim faith, even today. Obama desires to rule over America while his loyalty is totally vested in a Black Africa!
To think that Obama has even the slightest chance in the run for the presidency, is really scary. I’ll stick with Hillary.
look for the smoking policy to be overturned.
8:51 AM
WOW!! THAT IS SCARY!!
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