AIBU in thinking employers should be able to refuse to employ smokers?

[TiggyD]

1. You should judge aplicants on their decisions. Yes. They chose to smoke which means they're likely to die earlier, smell, be ill etc. They have made a really bad decision: To smoke.

1. If they say they regret their decision but can't give up they're addicts. I would tend to avoid giving known drug addicts or alcoholics a job, and the same goes for tobacco addicts.

Yes - you clearly have not thought this one through and I can't be arsed to point out how flawed your argument is!

Women - well they might have the audacity to want children and expect maternity leave

Oh I forgot about women. Defo wouldn't want to hire a woman of child bearing age.

Of a women with small children as she might want flexible working or something. Pah.

Ah debt too, defo no one with irresponsible credit card usage. Idiots.

What about office romances? All that time wasted on smouldering looks, sending each other inappropriate emails and snogging in the stationery cupboard.

Filthy timewasting fornicators.

Only if you could choose not to employ fat people. Much of the same arguments exist, they choose to eat too much, and therefore at risk of dying earlier, being more ill, smelling. They have made a really bad decision: to stuff their face with cake.

If they say they regret being fat, but don't go on a diet, they are food addicts. Etc etc.

P.s. I don't believe this, just making a point.

Unless the smoking directly impacts the individuals ability to do the job then YABU.

You should put them us all in a separate room with full glass walls so people can point and laugh.

Mean spirited, self righteous and judgemental. What about disabled people, shall we not employ them too...?

You know that plenty of people who smoke manage to refrain during working hours right?

I've not employed people who have turned up for an interview stinking of smoke.

My workplace is open-plan and there are often clients in at various meetings.

I don't actually mind the smell when people are smoking, bug that stale smell on clothes and hair makes me heave.

Are you going to restrict overweight people, those that exercise, people who ride motorbikes, people who ski??
Women who have children, that raises mortality, too risky to employ.
Better not employ anyone who goes on holiday to a place that has an increased risk of illness, of course that is many, many destinations.
How about other risky behaviours, after all it is better to be safe than sorry... people who drive; might get in an accident, people who walk; might get run over.

squoosh good point, is forgotten about icky office romance types. Gross AND not very productive.

Wow, not a lot of perfect people left to work with me in my perfect company.

Ooh, I would love a snakebite right now.

OP... You are unbelievably naïve, not to mention ignorant.

I've never worked anywhere where smokers get more breaks, they just smoke on their breaks rather than drink coffee and easy biscuits

Is this another spread sheet test?

Thread title: how many DC and what age?
Thread title: what's your mothers maiden name?
Thread title: what's your occupation?

Adds smoker or not to the spread sheet...

What's an easy biscuit, Mrs?

YABU. Have you recently given up smoking?

I've never worked anywhere where smokers get more breaks, they just smoke on their breaks rather than drink coffee and easy biscuits

Same here

Same where my DH works and at my DS's work too

I'm surprised so many people are jumping on the OP. It is perfectly legal to discriminate against smokers, and many other of the 'ridiculous' examples given. Unlike disabilities, being female, being of a particular race, smoking is a CHOICE.

YA All BVVU because you are making me want a fag and I quit 65 days, 12 hours and 32 minutes ago. Not that I'm counting. Oh no.

OP - My smoking or lack thereof does not have any bearing on how well or otherwise I execute my duties in the workplace. HTH.

If smoking is a choice because people can simply stop doing it

Then being overweight is also a choice for the same reason

Neither should be discriminated against unless their 'choice' means they can't do their job properly.

You can refuse to employ smokers, any application to our company gets automatically rejected for smokers...