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Boycott Scotts Due to Smoking Policy

Did you really read the rest of the thread? We've been through this insurance stuff. The problem is solved by going to a policy that charges higher premiums to smokers.

As I indicated multiple times throughout my post, I have been through the thread multiple times. I recognize that different premiums is one solution for dealing with the smoker/non-smoker issue, as you pointed out. However, that was not the point of the thread. The crux was, "Can Scotts tell employees what to do out of work?" Not how to best adjust insurance plans to deal with divergent social lifestyles. Maybe the question should be raised, " Did you really read the thread?"


And now we see the real reason for smoking bans and other such things: people just get annoyed by smokers. That's it. The insurance cost thing is just a red herring.

No the health thing is a big damn deal. Just ask the thousands of diner waitresses who now have health issues related to smoking although they've never smoked a day in their lives. The not smelling like smoke thing - just an added bonus.
 
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True, but gay sex is a choice, eh? (I'm guessing, again... as to gay vs. heterosexual sex with multiple partners... once again, if I'm wrong... reverse it, and that argument will work as well).

(PS... if we go down the "Being gay is/isn't a choice road, the dings are coming out... there are plenty of wrecked thread to argue that)

I wholeheartedly agree with you on that. Engaging in risky sex (whether you're banging dudes or chicks) is a choice, but unless you're actually physically banging someone at the office, your workplace really has no way of regulating your sexual habits and any attempts to police them would be a waste of time and money. Smokers tend to have a need to smoke (often times at work) and you can test for chemicals making regulation pretty easy. However, you can take measures to substantially lower that risk. Smoking really doesn't have that capability (lower tar cigarettes and filters really don't do anything to help lower risks to your health).

Does it matter now? The risk is there. These people were smokers when they were hired just as the gays were flamers when they were hired.

Can the boss really say "You, stop smoking or you're fired" without also saying "You, stop taking it in the ass, or you're fired" or "You, stop eating at McDonalds or you're fired" and still be legally in line?

Eh, I guess that would completely depend upon the contract one signs when hired and what the group health care insurer is mandating from them. My contract says that I'm bound to the current standards of my company (including that we're not allowed to smoke) and any future standards that may be enacted. Since, I have no clue what their contract says, I can't even speculate if they're being screwed or not.
 
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With health insurance, what you put on the application has to be true at the time that you receive a benefit. If it is found that you misrepresented something on an application, they can deny benefits. This is different from life insurance where is has to be true only at the time of application. Does that make sense?

I understand all too well. I'm scooter1369, not tg05.

Prove I was a smoker on that date...
 
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Eh, I guess that would completely depend upon the contract one signs when hired and what the group health care insurer is mandating from them. My contract says that I'm bound to the current standards of my company (including that we're not allowed to smoke) and any future standards that may be enacted. Since, I have no clue what their contract says, I can't even speculate if they're being screwed or not.

Of course the trump card here is that Ohio is a "fire at will" state. Companies that hold such a policy will find it upheld in court.
 
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There goes any chance of ever getting laid again... :(

My point was that it's been tried before, and it wasn't exactly a smashing success. :)

Bottom line for me is that if I want to engage in behavior I know to be 'risky' because I personally feel that the additional risk level is an acceptable price to pay for the pleasure I derive from such behavior, that is my right, so long as it doesn't create an imposition of risk, whether financial or otherwise, on others. Period.
 
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PrincessPeach said:
My point was that it's been tried before, and it wasn't exactly a smashing success. :)

Bottom line for me is that if I want to engage in behavior I know to be 'risky' because I personally feel that the additional risk level is an acceptable price to pay for the pleasure I derive from such behavior, that is my right, so long as it doesn't create an imposition of risk, whether financial or otherwise, on others. Period.
same can be said for cocaine.
 
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I understand all too well. I'm scooter1369, not tg05.

Prove I was a smoker on that date...

What I'm saying is that it has to be true at the time you receive the benefit. In other words, they don't have to prove you were a smoker on that date. They only have to prove you're a smoker now (when you're in the doctor's office being told you have cancer or whatever), which can be done with a simple urine test.

This is different from life insurance where they would have to prove you were a smoker at the time of application. If they did manage to prove misrepresentation in this case, they would simply deduct the additional premiums from your insurance proceeds.
 
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Scott's indicated that cost/benefit analysis supported this action due to increasing health care costs.

However, this is an action that is likely going to result in lawsuits. When Scott's is shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more to defend itself, it's going to shoot that argument in the foot.


I would venture to guarantee they took that into account during their cost/benefit analysis
 
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What I'm saying is that it has to be true at the time you receive the benefit. In other words, they don't have to prove you were a smoker on that date. They only have to prove you're a smoker now (when you're in the doctor's office being told you have cancer or whatever), which can be done with a simple urine test.

This is different from life insurance where they would have to prove you were a smoker at the time of application. If they did manage to prove misrepresentation in this case, they would simply deduct the additional premiums from your insurance proceeds.

There are ways around that too.
 
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Not to mention lawsuits are short-term costs, unlike serious illnesses among employees which could cost millions for years.

Short term expense for a long term gain. IMO

its a bit of a stretch to call years of litigation a short term cost.

if scott's were to produce numbers that could show some sort of cost disparity between the health care costs of smoking employees versus nonsmokers, then maybe i'll listen.

of course, the entire premise is built on the notion that the employee would be moderately healthy if they didn't smoke, which is also faulty reasoning.
 
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I wholeheartedly agree with you on that. Engaging in risky sex (whether you're banging dudes or chicks) is a choice, but unless you're actually physically banging someone at the office, your workplace really has no way of regulating your sexual habits and any attempts to police them would be a waste of time and money. Smokers tend to have a need to smoke (often times at work) and you can test for chemicals making regulation pretty easy. However, you can take measures to substantially lower that risk. Smoking really doesn't have that capability (lower tar cigarettes and filters really don't do anything to help lower risks to your health).

Teh NFL can't test for Human Growth hormone either... so the fuck what.

If the policy says, you can't engage in risky sex... and you turn up on a CDC syphillis list, they could then fire you and cancel your insurance.

The point isn't what they can and can't do... its should they be doing it?

People don't get banned from this board for being morons... but we could.:wink2:
 
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