ok so here is the update....
I was told by HR that my PV was under the same restrictions as an analog... can only use it outside or in the approved smoking area. I was not happy as you can guess, but i think i handled it calmly and maturely. I asked why and i was told that the reason was based solely on the basis of other employee reactions. They dont want to be seen as giving me preferential (sp?) treatment and dont want other smokers to be jealous. I even asked if that was the only reason and was told that it was. I explained that one of the reasons i got my pv was so i wouldnt have to go outside and freeze in the winter and def so i wouldnt have to go into the smoke room, which has clouds of smoke pouring out of it during breaks... i asked if i could just stand near the back door on breaks but stay inside and was told i could not.
Now to be clear, i am not asking to vape during work... i can wait til breaks no problem... would be cool if i didnt have to, but its not a big deal.. i dont want special treatment, i just want fair treatment and dont think its too much to ask for. i understand that if i get to use my pv inside and not in smoke area it might make others jealous, but we arent kids. I am jealous of my boss's nice SUV, but that doesnt mean he shouldnt be able to drive it to work.
Anyway, i guess i just wanted to see if anyone else had similar stories and it ended well for you or if you just dealt with it... Im not really sure what im going to do as of yet. i need my job, but i feel kinda of violated and feel like my rights have been taken from me because of the ignorance of others.. kinda sucks if there is nothing i can do about it.
Many places now days are completely non-smoking and EVERYone who smokes/vapes, has to go outside on breaks.
Atleast maybe just be glad you don't have to go freeze your * off outside. .Couldn't you just use your e-cig in the restroom on your breaks? .
Besides, what if others do start vaping, and complaining that they don't want to be in the break room around cigarette smoke either, and it becomes an even bigger issue? .I'm afraid your boss may just may decide to settle the whole thing by making it the same for everyone and make it non-smoking shop, that way, no one gets singled out or treated different, .and to prevent possible further issues with it down the road, and just request that everyone goes outside from now on, to do their thing.
I've heard a few stories where people pushed the issue and lost their jobs or ended up quitting and went to work some place else. When it comes right down to it, they're just gonna look at it, like you're asking for special treatment and "to them" from their position, that could possibly cause issues with other employees, who maybe aren't quite as understanding about it as you are or someone else might be..
I'm sure you're your boss, your HR or whoever it is, bases all requests on the idea that "if I make allowances for one, in order to be fair to everyone, I have to do it for all". .Maybe he fears more of his employers switching to vaping and is afraid it will create problems between 2 groups, and then he'll have more ppl coming to him complaining about it, so maybe he figures it's best not let it get started at all, by telling you, generally speaking, that your e-cig will be treated no different in his shop than others preference for analogs.
As more and more people in the world stop smoking cigarettes and start vaping, employers aren't going assign 2 separate rooms special, just to separate smokers from vapers to protect employee's rights to smoke or not to smoke, to vape or not to vape, so that nobody feels violated, or jealous, lol. .
I'm sure he's not just singling you out, he's setting the rule so it will apply to everyone, just in case others decide to join you, you know, and stop smoking analogs, and start using e-cigs too
peace....
