Cotinine testing - Day three of zero nicotine

[zoiDman]

The existing anti-discrimination law that does not prohibit employers from discriminating based on whether or not the person is a smoker/nicotine user is a federal law.

ETA: Through the courts it was determined it is not discrimination if the person has a choice, unlike, skin color, disability... nicotine use is a choice just like alcohol and drug use which both of those can also ban you from employment without legal ramifications. I have been waiting for some time now for weight to come into full play, some are already testing those waters (since 2013) by charging their overweight employees higher insurance premiums.

The "Choice" position is a Very Slippery Slope.

Because the same argument can by applied to say Caffeine. Or perhaps eating or Not eating of Red Meat. Or the Taking or Not taking Daily Vitamins.

I wonder sometimes at What Point did the worth some put on the Dollar superseded the Values that we say this Country was Founded On?

 

[Lessifer]

The "Choice" position is a Very Slippery Slope.

Because the same argument can by applied to say Caffeine. Or perhaps eating or Not eating of Red Meat. Or the Taking or Not taking Daily Vitamins.

I wonder sometimes at What Point did the worth some put on the Dollar superseded the Values that we say this Country was Founded On?

The latest I've heard is some employers wanting to require annual Flu vaccines. I don't know of any that have actually enacted the policy though.

I'm not anti vaccination, but I don't consider the Flu shot to be on the same "necessary" level as something like a smallpox vaccine.

DC2, thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[YoursTruli]

The latest I've heard is some employers wanting to require annual Flu vaccines. I don't know of any that have actually enacted the policy though.

I'm not anti vaccination, but I don't consider the Flu shot to be on the same "necessary" level as something like a smallpox vaccine.

DC2, thanks for sharing your experience!

An increasing number of employers, particularly in the health care field, are requiring employees to receive the vaccine as a condition of employment. A growing number of states are also requiring the vaccine for health care workers. In my experience, employees could request an exemption which was turned over to an impartial outside expert to rule on, but, this is not an across the board (nation wide) policy to allow exemptions.

This has been going on now for a number of years, I stopped working in 2013 and that was the year an Indiana hospital fired employees who refused to get one.

 

[Rossum]

When I hear these sorts of stories, I'm always thankful that I Ieft corporate life 20-some years ago and ended up starting my own business. I now employ 17 people, and needless to say, I don't presume to control their personal lives.

 

[Woofer]

The latest I've heard is some employers wanting to require annual Flu vaccines. I don't know of any that have actually enacted the policy though.

Castrato - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia terms of employment from not that long ago.

 

[Woofer]

When I hear these sorts of stories, I'm always thankful that I Ieft corporate life 20-some years ago and ended up starting my own business. I now employ 17 people, and needless to say, I don't presume to control their personal lives.

I bet you have valuable employees and low turn over.

 

[Lessifer]

An increasing number of employers, particularly in the health care field, are requiring employees to receive the vaccine as a condition of employment. A growing number of states are also requiring the vaccine for health care workers. In my experience, employees could request an exemption which was turned over to an impartial outside expert to rule on, but, this is not an across the board (nation wide) policy to allow exemptions.

This has been going on now for a number of years, I stopped working in 2013 and that was the year an Indiana hospital fired employees who refused to get one.

I guess it's good that insurance covers the Flu shot, unless you have it done somewhere other than your PCP office. It just seems to be getting out of hand, fast...

 

[zoiDman]

The latest I've heard is some employers wanting to require annual Flu vaccines. I don't know of any that have actually enacted the policy though.

I'm not anti vaccination, but I don't consider the Flu shot to be on the same "necessary" level as something like a smallpox vaccine.

...

For what type of Employees?

I could almost (the Key Word here is "Almost") make the justification if the Employees were required to work around "High Risk" due to Infection people. ie: Extreme Elderly, Immune Deficient, etc.

But Please Don't Tell Me that this is just for some Joe Blow Employee. And the Justification for putting a Needle Full of Flu Vaccine into My Arm is so my Employer doesn't have to hear me call in Sick 2 days out of the Year.

 

[Lessifer]

This year I actually decided to just miss out on the $300 discount I would have received from participating in my employer's annual "health screening." I decided I don't actually want my company to know my biometrics.

 

[Lessifer]

For what type of Employees?

I could almost (the Key Word here is "Almost") make the justification if the Employees were required to work around "High Risk" due to Infection people. ie: Extreme Elderly, Immune Deficient, etc.

But Please Don't Tell Me that this is just for some Joe Blow Employee. And the Justification for putting a Needle Full of Flu Vaccine into My Arm is so my Employer doesn't have to hear me call in Sick 2 days out of the Year.

The piece I heard, on NPR, didn't mention which industries, but they did reference all of the lost productivity due to people calling out sick with the Flu.

 

[Rossum]

I bet you have valuable employees and low turn over.

Funny how that works, isn't it?

 

[zoiDman]

 

[DC2]

This year I actually decided to just miss out on the $300 discount I would have received from participating in my employer's annual "health screening." I decided I don't actually want my company to know my biometrics.

Not only have I never participated in that, but I also opted out of this...
Introducing Cal INDEX

 

[YoursTruli]

I guess it's good that insurance covers the Flu shot, unless you have it done somewhere other than your PCP office. It just seems to be getting out of hand, fast...

The hospital or medical facility you work for gives them to you for free (in my experience) but, yeah, it is getting out of hand. Really ever since the financial crisis in (around) 2008, employers have taken the upper hand with ever increasing restrictions, dictating to employees, because of the resulting job market, because they could and still can.
(Personally) I can understand the reasoning behind a requirement for healthcare workers to get the flu shot honestly because it puts both employee and patients at high risk, but, they are also the ones who started the no-nic hiring practices along with quite a few other "discriminatory" like policies towards employees/terms of employment.

 

[curiousJan]

The hospital or medical facility you work for gives them to you for free (in my experience) but, yeah, it is getting out of hand. Really ever since the financial crisis in (around) 2008, employers have taken the upper hand with ever increasing restrictions, dictating to employees, because of the resulting job market, because they could and still can.
(Personally) I can understand the reasoning behind a requirement for healthcare workers to get the flu shot honestly because it puts both employee and patients at high risk, but, they are also the ones who started the no-nic hiring practices along with quite a few other "discriminatory" like policies towards employees/terms of employment.

That might be true if it was demonstrably proven that the flu vaccine actually worked. It's a best guess every year. I haven't had one for years ... haven't had the flu either.

 

[curiousJan]

Oooooo, one of my all-tme favorite songs!

 

[Woofer]

A sign that makes me crazy is "Drive Slow! We love our children."

Kind of a sign of the times.

 

[DC2]

A sign that makes me crazy is "Drive Slow! We love our children."

Oh God, lots of parents in our gated community put out these signs...

And when I see those signs I want to accelerate and run them over.
The signs I mean, not the children.


They tried to put speed bumps in here a few years back, but it got voted down.
Thank God we're not THAT stupid yet.

 

[YoursTruli]

That might be true if it was demonstrably proven that the flu vaccine actually worked. It's a best guess every year. I haven't had one for years ... haven't had the flu either.

Effectiveness of the flu shot vary from year to year and among different age and risk groups. Last season was particularly low, about 60% effective, but the effectiveness percentages are normally higher.
Due to being immunocompromised I have been advised not to get one, otherwise I would. Those who are around me do because of the greater health danger getting the flu would pose to me, so far so good.

 

[AndriaD]

For what type of Employees?

I could almost (the Key Word here is "Almost") make the justification if the Employees were required to work around "High Risk" due to Infection people. ie: Extreme Elderly, Immune Deficient, etc.

But Please Don't Tell Me that this is just for some Joe Blow Employee. And the Justification for putting a Needle Full of Flu Vaccine into My Arm is so my Employer doesn't have to hear me call in Sick 2 days out of the Year.

Plus, the flu vaccine is only about 49% effective, and after age 49, that percentage goes down quite sharply. I refuse to get a flu shot -- besides the fact that I'm over age 49, they're just ridiculous -- the flu vaccine can mutate, and nobody can guarantee that the flu you're vaccinated for is the one that's currently making the rounds -- they can't even forecast the weather accurately, and they're gonna forecast what strain of flu you might get? Yeah right; pull the other one!

The best way to avoid getting the flu is keeping your immune system healthy -- and REQUIRING those who do catch the flu to STAY THE HELL AT HOME!!!!!!!!! Don't take Theraflu and then waltz on into work just because you're feeling a little better! Nobody wants you there! Nobody's job is that important!

Andria