'Too much trouble' to employ smokers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Smokers may soon be filtered out of the workplace because employing them is "too much trouble", a lobby group warned today.
Forest, which campaigns for people's right to smoke, said more and more employers were making life unreasonably difficult for smokers.
Director Simon Clark spoke out as Breckland Council, which is based in Dereham, Norfolk, became the latest local authority to consider making workers clock off while they take a cigarette break.
"Breckland are the latest council to consider - or impose - this clocking off and back on policy. Some have even gone further by imposing smoking bans." said Mr Clark.
"We don't have figures but there are quite a few which either having some sort of 'clocking off' policy or a complete no-smoking policy.
"Our concern is that soon smokers will be losing out on jobs because their lives at work will be so complicated that employers will decide it's too much trouble to employ them."
He added: "This idea of 'clocking off' to smoke isn't a health issue. It's unreasonable. Will they make people 'clock off' if they have a coffee break?
"If some people are taking too many smoking breaks than they should and taking advantage that's an issue for managers, not a health issue."
Mr Clark said Forest had already objected to job advertisements asking for "non smokers".
Breckland councillors are due to decide whether to impose the "clocking off" policy after considering a report at a meeting today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments