Should smokers clock in and clock off?

[longfingernails]

Thought I would get away from the usual Labour/Tory arguments, and pick a no less contentious, but non-partisan subject to argue about instead!

A council is making their smokers clock in and clock off when they take breaks - they say the employees themselves, including the smokers, want this.

Is it a good way to ensure equity amongst staff, or just pointless bureaucracy?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315651/Council-forces-smoking-staff-clock-puff-work-non-smokers.html

No. Imo, when I was a smoker, you would rush to smoking area, inhale fag for 6.3 seconds and dash back to work.

Then there are folk who faff around making tea, chatting by the water cooler, gossip in he stationary cupboard etc etc.

lifeinlimbo - I wouldn't have a problem if everyone had to clock in and out for breaks. It's the singling out smokers I don't like.

MaMoTTaT - they havent been singled out. I think this was in response to animosity towards smokers when they left for breaks because they were seen as having more breaks than others.

Some places banned smoking during work hours (which is perhaps better for the workers health) but this council decided to allow people to continue their smoking breaks, this just ensures that they are 'at work' for the same hours as anyone else. Cant say fairer than that!

they have been singled out.

How can they assume that the smokers spend more time away fromm their desk than someone that spends an ages gossiping at the coffee machine, or who takes their time going to get the bacon butty's?

they do this at our council, no-one really moaned, even the smokers

So long as they are asking everyone to clock out if they leave the building then it's perfectly fair. Smokers leave the building more often than non-smokers, and some of them spend considerable amount of time doing so. Others of course don't, but then they won't get penalised as by clocking in and out an accurate record is kept. People spending too long chatting or making tea are easily spotted and it's not hard to remind them they are there to work. Most people only spend a lot of time in the loo if they have a problem because they aren't terribly nice places to hang out. Internet use is generally monitored and a disciplinary offense.

Most clocking in and out systems are automated, and they are used for lunch breaks etc, as well as flexible working so I doubt that any extra work is being created, and it is quite possible that the smokers have asked for this because they want to prove they work as long hours as anyone else, or that there are individuals who are taking advantage giving them a bad name.