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11:40:00 AM EST
Hearing Dirty Day -- U2
Getting Fired in All New Ways
Here's a CNN Money article off the AOL front screen, talking about how more of your private activities can get you fired from work: Things like smoking or gaining weight have been cited as possible firing offenses by employers, and generally speaking, there's not much to be done about it:
Employees may not realize just how vulnerable they are to termination. If the reason for losing your job seems unfair, many people's reasoning seems to go, it must be illegal.
Employment in most states, however, is "at will." That means that your employer has the right (outside of a few protectected categories such as age, race, and religion) to fire you at any time for any reason -- or for no reason at all.
Even political differences can lead to termination. Just ask Lynne Gobelle of Moulton, Georgia, fired for displaying a John Kerry bumper sticker.
Her boss, Phil Geddes, made no bones of his fealty to President Bush. He even included a pro-Bush flyer in employees' pay envelopes. Gobelle explored her options to fight her dismissal and found she had none.
"Do not think you're protected by the First Amendment," says Maltby. "It doesn't apply to private employment." He says only five states have rules protecting against political firings.
Naturally, I think work encroaching on how one lives one's life outside the work sphere is odious. I think you owe your employer not to do anything illegal (you should do that for yourself, too), but other than that one's life should be one's own. Of course, even as I write that I can think of perfect examples of private life being a legitimate issue for employers. If one works for PETA, one probably shouldn't be an avid bow hunter, as an example. But most people are not in a situation in which their private life is directly at odds with their work. Whether one smokes makes little difference as to how one does one's job, say, as an accountant.
Do you think people should be fired for being smokers? Or being overweight? Or holding political opinions other than those of their bosses? Let me know what you think.
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oNE MORE COMMENT. DRINKING ALCOHOL IS MORE DANGEROUS TO EVERYONE THAN SMOKING. i HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE HAVING A HEADON COLLISION AS THEY SMOKED A CIGARETTE BEHIND THE WHEEL. DRINKING COSTS MORE TO THE MEDICAL CARE OF PEOPLE THAN SMOKING. mY GRANDMOTHER DIED OF LUNG CANCER. NEVER SMOKED A CIGARETTE IN HER 90 YEARS. WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SMOKE IN HER HOUSE OR UPWIND FROM HER. HER HUSBAND DIDN'T SMOKE AROUND HER IN HIS OWN HOUSE. hER SISTER WHO WAS A NUN, NEVER SMOKED OR DRANK AND SHE DIED OF BREAST CANCER. MY OTHER GRANDMOTHER SMOKED 4 PACKS A DAY FOR 75 YEARS AND DIED IN HER SLEEP OF NATURAL CAUSES. I DO NOT REMEMBER THAT WOMAN BEING SICK A DAY IN HER LIFE. SHE NEVER HAD CANCER. fIGURE THAT ONE OUT.
COMPANY'S HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO IN MY OFF TIME UNLESS IT VIOLATES COMPANY POLICY. EX: TELLING COMPANY SECRETS ON THE NET. -
WHERE IS GEORGE MEANY WHEN WE NEED HIM. ANYONE OUT THERE UP TO THE CHALLENGE? NO WONDER NO ONE CARES ANYMORE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
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I was let go from a very prestigious Resort for falling asleep. I worked 7 days a week, 12-13 hour days. I was on prescription meds, by a doctor who was being paid by the resorts insurance. Everyone knew I was not feeling well. They knew about the meds that made me sleepy. They did it anyway. I didn't know that under state law they can not fire someone under doctor's care. I put in an appeal to unemployment when the resort denyed my claim. The appeal inspector granted my unemployment when I showed all the documented proof. The director of personnel was not happy. I did fight it.
The most wierdest thing that happened to me was being fired for not nucky nucky with one of their cooks at a different restaurant. Many years ago. That is a private thing. He wasn't worth my energy. I have never been fired from any other job for the 30 plus years I have worked. Nor have I been fired for anything thaT I do in my private life. THAT IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS UNLESS IT IS AN ILLEGAL THING. iT IS TOO BAD THAT THESE BOSSES AREN'T AS PROFESSIONAL AS THEY SHOULD BE. " IT'S BUSINESS, SONNY, NOT PERSONAL" -
Here in Canada, workers have a lot more protection against that kind of firing. Doesn't really make a difference. If an employer wants to get rid of you, they will. If they have to make up a 'legitimate' reason to do so, they will.
-Paul
http://journals.aol.ca/plittle/AuroraWalkingVacation/
3/23/05 10:36 PM