New job in VERY smoky office AAARRGGH

[MABS]

Would really appreciate your help and advice here. As some of you may know, I started what I thought was my dream job on 1st Dec after redundancy from a fab job in September. Things have been horrible at home really since early December as my MIL was taken ill then and then died just before Xmas. This has meant that i have tried to ignore what is really a massive problem for me at my new office -THEY ALL CHAIN SMOKE!!

It is a small office (small co) based in a one roomed converted barn out in the country. It's a great setting , but the other 4 staff all smoke all day in the office. I can't say anything about it coz the owner and his wife ,aged mid 60s, are the main problem and I know they will never stop and don't want to-he is rather arrogant. It is starting to affect my eyes every day and i stink the whole time. It's really getting me down, and i seem to have a persistent cough now too! If I hand in my notice (1 month) I am really concerned they will just tell me to go immed and I won't get paid 4 the monthof Jan as I have been there such a short time. In honesty, it's not the dream job i thought it'd be, but i am quite enjoying it really. I just am at my wits end with everything really. Thanks for listening!

thanks all. am so upset about it all that i've rung in sick today. Not really the answer though.

MABS, you really have to at least try and speak to someone about it (maybe a woman you get on with?) otherwise the only thing that will come out of the situation is you having a poor work attendance record and them having no idea why.

If you want to leave anyway, what have you got to lose?

oh well, have resigned.

did you tell them why and are you working your notice??

told them why, and am not working notice. being paid to date. very sad though really

sorry to but in but you could claim for constructive unfair dismissal i think(as you will not have another job yet to pay your bills?), i think this means when you are left with no alternative but to resign as the place you work or people you work with have made it too difficult for you to carry on there?
not being a money grabber, just heard of it before and i wouldnt like to think you were struggling through no fault of your own.hth

oh, missed last post, sorry

Oh, am so sorry it has come to this for you.
Agree that constructive dismissal is an option (used to work for a union btw).
What was their response when you told them why?

thanks all, but have only worked there 6 wks so don't think i have any rights

I believe that you need to have been employed for one year before you can claim constructive dismissal.

Have you approached them about this yet MABS? When I first started working 20 years ago several people smoked and it was awful. I had a fan permanently on my desk to try to waft the smoke away. I wouldn't put up with it now. Have never smoked and HATE it. Probably due to the fact that my mother smoked and as a kid I remember being on holiday in a tent and puking and blaming it on the cig smoke/smell. Oh and by the way my mum died of lung cancer and you should not have to put yourself in a position that may compromise your health.

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You should not have had to resign over this ! Its dreadful. Health & Safety laws apply to everyone from day 1 of employment. I'm not saying they would have taken everything on board, but I feel as though you should have least questioned them about it.

i have today spoken to them about it. Basically, they are very sorry and don't want to lose me, BUT they are all continuing smoking as they are addicted!

ask them who you sue when you get ill! hit them in their pockets

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The office is in a barn conversion . There is literally one room with a bathroom attached!