I have been really inspired somewhat by the folks posting over in the 'Closet Smoking' thread. Fascinating stories in there!
I haven't really given it much thought, but I think my eyes have been opened to, perhaps, the problem of economic discrimination against cigarette smokers in the workplace. (Am I naive', or WHAT??)
Which leads me to openly wonder:
Have any of you been let go, laid off, fired, passed over for a promotion, etc., that you think may have been because you were / are a cigarette smoker?? Have the ANTZ, or the workplace 'cigarette police' ever been on your case?
(This could be really interesting. Or not, I guess, lol...)
For my own situation, several years ago, I was in a very intense financial analysis type of a situation with a small accounting-type of a firm. I BUSTED HUMP gathering and crunching numbers, and truly believed I was doing nothing but an outstanding job. (I can actually prove this, and I believe I tend to know my business very well, and know what I'm doing, if I do say so myself....lol. I digress...)
Lo, one unsuspecting day, I was called in to the big cheese's office. I was literally stunned beyond belief to be 'let go', on very positive, friendly, amicable terms. However, the explanation I was given was absolutely the lamest bunch of crap I have ever heard, and I was STUNNED. By any measure, it was a bunch of Bull Doo Doo---I wish I could have recorded it. Mr. Cheese sounded like a bumbling idiot.
Anyway, to this day, I can think of only 2 reasons that I could have possibly been laid off. ONE, the business got slow (which I can positively verify.) The OTHER, is that I was the only smoker in the whole place, a small firm. I did not flaunt it, but there were a couple of busy-body biddies there who apparently were aware. (Yes, there was nepotism openly practiced as well. Ain't working for a living grand?)
All worked out for the better, was the BEST thing that could've happened, but it still bothers me to this day, and I can still hear the bumbling idiot laying me off. I will never know for sure, but I wonder sometimes.......
I haven't really given it much thought, but I think my eyes have been opened to, perhaps, the problem of economic discrimination against cigarette smokers in the workplace. (Am I naive', or WHAT??)
Which leads me to openly wonder:
Have any of you been let go, laid off, fired, passed over for a promotion, etc., that you think may have been because you were / are a cigarette smoker?? Have the ANTZ, or the workplace 'cigarette police' ever been on your case?
(This could be really interesting. Or not, I guess, lol...)
For my own situation, several years ago, I was in a very intense financial analysis type of a situation with a small accounting-type of a firm. I BUSTED HUMP gathering and crunching numbers, and truly believed I was doing nothing but an outstanding job. (I can actually prove this, and I believe I tend to know my business very well, and know what I'm doing, if I do say so myself....lol. I digress...)
Lo, one unsuspecting day, I was called in to the big cheese's office. I was literally stunned beyond belief to be 'let go', on very positive, friendly, amicable terms. However, the explanation I was given was absolutely the lamest bunch of crap I have ever heard, and I was STUNNED. By any measure, it was a bunch of Bull Doo Doo---I wish I could have recorded it. Mr. Cheese sounded like a bumbling idiot.
Anyway, to this day, I can think of only 2 reasons that I could have possibly been laid off. ONE, the business got slow (which I can positively verify.) The OTHER, is that I was the only smoker in the whole place, a small firm. I did not flaunt it, but there were a couple of busy-body biddies there who apparently were aware. (Yes, there was nepotism openly practiced as well. Ain't working for a living grand?)
All worked out for the better, was the BEST thing that could've happened, but it still bothers me to this day, and I can still hear the bumbling idiot laying me off. I will never know for sure, but I wonder sometimes.......
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