Smoker does not get the job

[Hippy]

Recent report highlighted firm refusing an agency job candidate because she was a smoker. Boss said they are less healthy. Now I recently had to recruit a co-worker and chose a non-smoker for the same reason. It is legal to do so, but is it fair?

The story is here

[flashpig]

YES! It's the fairest thing I've heard all week!

(I want to give a 3* answer)

[milly143]

I think it's wrong to deny someone a job simply because they smoke and using the excuse that they are less healthy is pitiful unless the job is a PE teacher or something physical. I am smoker and can safely say I have never taken a day off work because I smoked one too many fags the night before. You would be far more likely to take a day off sick because you are hungover so should they not be saying that they want people who t-total employed.

I'd also like to comment gary baldys comment about having more breaks then non smokers. It's simply not true and i fact is stated in our terms of employment that if you smoke, the time will be taken from your lunch break so it's exactly the same amount of time. And when it comes to where people smoke, at work I stand right the back of the car park where there is no reason for anyone else to go so if they come over and talk to me, it's their problem that they may be getting my smoke.

It's absolutely fair enough if you don't like people smoking but you can't discriminate someone for it. What would happen if I tried to employ smokers only!

[rabbits]

Well, they are the boss so.... What I would like to know is is this discrimination, or is it going to be applied across the board, that is, are they going to refuse to employ; (Advance apologies, this is going to be politically incorrect)

Gays [edited by AnswerBank]

Fat people (high blood pressure, heart problems etc

Drinkers, again an unhealthy lifestyle

Drug users