Fired for smoking e cig at work?!

[Hiryu]

I honestly do not think you've been neither fired or suspended. I am not sure about corporate hospital work, but I also worked in a contractor-based corporate environment with magnetic security cards, and it would be extremely unusual for them to just cut you off with no notice.

Also, if you are suspended, fired or quit from any such place, security WILL ask you for you card, most likely BEFORE deactivating it. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you, it's most likely an issue with the database.

 

[Credo]

The cameras in places like these, and especially hospitals and data centers, are there to monitor. They are increasingly high-tech and are designed to catch something exactly like this. Also any type of tampering or theft. I would bet a paycheck that someone saw it almost immediately. And tracking the badge through previous sections of the building is a simple task. Within 15 minutes the video can be watched, person identified, and access revoked for a smoking infraction. The hospital would not escort a contractor from the building. They would contact employer with a complaint. This is exactly the sequence of events that would occur IF the video had been seen. Again, I do not believe OP was fired, but the circumstances tell me that is what happened. Especially since OP was in that closet for the first time for the vape...

I know they don't play around with HIPPA and patient data...so security can and should be intense.

But would they really just cancel codes like that? Over a smoking/vaping policy?

Kinda messes up 'due process', and also makes it harder to 'track offenders' to uncover 'more offenders'.

Maybe all the new Homeland Security stuff tosses all due process out the window these days and gives a guy sitting at a security data terminal that much power? Over smoking/vaping tho'? Ugg!

If this were a commercial server room...I'd definitely think twice about vaping anywhere near the stuff. Not that I believe that vaping would harm any of it, but just 'sneezing' wrong in those kinds of places can get fingers pointing at you if something goes wrong.

Come up with an alternate vaping plan for sure

One thing I find that helps if I can't vape for a while:
Put a few drops of e-liquid in my coffe/tea/soda/etc.

 

[AFlogdog]

I wouldn't stress to much about it. As a contract manager for a major hospital I can tell you grounds for dismal will depend on the terms of your contract and the contract managers interpretation of those terms.

Generally if the contracting department at your hospital is any good they will include a terminate for convenience (TFC) clause that covers anything not previously mentioned in the contract. That clause is extremely important in this instance as I'm sure Ecigs are nowhere in the original contract nor would it legally fall under a "tobacco use clause". If a TFC clause is included they can dismiss a entire contract or specific contractor for any reason but that all depends on the contract manager. If you're an independent contractor check what the performance work statement says concerning the performance thresholds. That will give you a good idea of what your contract manager considers acceptable deviations from protocol. If however you are a sub contractor or work for a large contracting company dismissal will be automatic if requested by the hospitals contract manager. Keep in mind that all depends on the TFC clause. If it's included then you should worry otherwise nothing to stress about.

If you need to speak with someone about this or any contracting issues don't bother with hospital HR they have no authority over contractors. Go directly to either the hospitals contracting department if you hold an independent contract or deal directly with the HR department at the contracting company you work for. One of those two will tell you what could or is going to happen in this or any other situation you run across.

Hope that helps.

 

[Newbz]

The cameras in places like these, and especially hospitals and data centers, are there to monitor. They are increasingly high-tech and are designed to catch something exactly like this. Also any type of tampering or theft. I would bet a paycheck that someone saw it almost immediately. And tracking the badge through previous sections of the building is a simple task. Within 15 minutes the video can be watched, person identified, and access revoked for a smoking infraction. The hospital would not escort a contractor from the building. They would contact employer with a complaint. This is exactly the sequence of events that would occur IF the video had been seen. Again, I do not believe OP was fired, but the circumstances tell me that is what happened. Especially since OP was in that closet for the first time for the vape...

No joke?

Learn something new everyday. I figured that kind of instant recognition was a Hollywood invention.

 

[Stevew443]

Good points... The camera was a Netbotz camera which emails authority with still pictures when movement is detected.. in addition it provides live feeds over internet explorer.. anyone have experience with quality of Netbotz pictures or video? ??? So there would not have been anyone watching the video feed until the camera captured, recorded, and emailed...

Although I have not used the Netbotz camera, I have had experience setting up various security IP cameras in different situations and the quality is excellent. If the people who set it up are capturing a short video, then they will be able to see that you are not smoking a cigarette, but if they are capturing only still images, then the vapor may look enough like smoke to cause you some problems explaining what you were doing. The fact that your card let you into a data closet means that you had the right to be in that closet, however, what one sees from any captured image may be open to interpretation and if you are working under the same type of contract I am working under, you can be dismissed at will.
I am following this thread closely. I hope you just had a bad card and did not lose your job.

 

[Room112]

Any word on your predicament?! Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Pappy55]

I'm pretty sure that if you are going to recieve disilinary action you would get a letter first with a date for an investigation interview to hear you side of the story before they start the process. Thats here in the UK anyway..

I know I have been there.
Not for smoking or vaping at work though..

I vape in the canteen all the time now

 

[Kbut655]

Just on the point of card deactivation:
I work in a Casino and have seen people have their card deactivated by surveillance when breaching policy (ie in a secure area while off duty) But they get locked down and can't leave until Security lets them out. Then they get a policy breach warning a few days later when there direct supervisor/Manager was on shift.
Casino surveillance is monitored live 24/7 and not one of those netbotz cameras.

 

[Tai Pan]

We are surrounded by cameras and people on the other side can do what they want with your cards. Just some clicks on the computer.

 

[zoiDman]

... how screwed am i? Any thoughts?

If I understand it correctly. You say that you went into some closet/room and a Camera caught you vaping?

Isn't anyone seeing smoke coming out of your mouth on camera going to think you were smoking?

Second. You said you are not a direct employee of the Hospital but a contractor. What type of contract are you under?

Not sure about the state you live in but where I live, contractors who work as quasi-employees, receiving wages per Hours worked, have very little recourse if the employer decides that the contract services are no longer needed. Meaning, there is almost no such thing as “wrongful termination”.

I think you should take you PV with you when you go to the hospital to figure out what is going on. Might need to show what you were doing on camera.

BTW – Why didn’t you go outside on your break to vape like people who smoke?

 

[puffpuffexplode]

Any word on your predicament?! Inquiring minds want to know!

what he said... Any word?

 

[digitalness]

Yes it seemed to have expired. Is now working. Thanks for all the support. Does not mean I wasn't seen. I will gladly post if I am confronted about it.

 

[bwayne]

I'm not sure if most employers would take kindly to clouds of vapor (or anything that resembles smoke) floating over their workspaces, benign or not, particularly in a public facing business. Best to clear it through them first, but chances are that they'll ask you to take it outside.

 

[Iffy]

Sure hope you enjoyed your 4th of July. I know I would have been a wreck...

 

[bjannr]

Glad you didn't loose your job. If I was the only employee vaping, I would probably be told it is not allowed. I am a 10 year Union Employee. However, the person who got me talked into vaping is a temporary employee who our company does not want to loose. If he were told to stop, he would quit his job. So as long as he continues with my company, I am safe.

 

[myxomatosis]

Sure hope you enjoyed your 4th of July. I know I would have been a wreck...

Same here.

Glad everything worked out for you. Hospitals are probably one of the only places that I'd consider not vaping.

...consider.


Cheers!

 

[Joe944]

I'd have been pretty nervous myself, glad everything worked out though!

 

[s14sher]

Glad it worked out. I imagine it was a long weekend for you

 

[mgaruccio]

I'm not sure if most employers would take kindly to clouds of vapor (or anything that resembles smoke) floating over their workspaces, benign or not, particularly in a public facing business. Best to clear it through them first, but chances are that they'll ask you to take it outside.

In this case if I had seen someone vaping on camera in a room containing server/equipment racks, especially if I wasn't familiar with vaping, I would probably assume they were smoking in my equipment room, which after seeing what smoke does to computer components I would not take kindly to at all. It needs to be remembered that enterprise equipment is horrifically expensive and when it fails the downtime is usually even more expensive so IT tends to be pretty protective of their toys.

 

[swedishfish]

Same here.

Glad everything worked out for you. Hospitals are probably one of the only places that I'd consider not vaping.

...consider.


Cheers!

I stealth vaped a lot in the hospital.