In a working environment. Do people who smoke cigarettes, deserve more "break" time, than non-smokers?(Details.)
It’s probably changed over time, for different reasons.
Since I can remember, everyone just allowed smokers to go smoke, while the rest if us generally keep working or have to work harder, to make up for their absence.
Not every smoker, is the same.
Not all abuse it.
I used to smoke. But, not usually if I was working.
Maybe it’s just my perception, but it always seemed like non-smokers were being sort of punished, and smokers were rewarded with an almost hourly few people smoking and talking break.
Mostly people have to smoke outside, nowadays, where I am.
It’s illegal to smoke in bars, and restaurants and public places.
I guess, it was always an issue for me.
But. It was everywhere I ever worked, in all types of jobs.
When I was a kid, people smoked EVERYWHERE.
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19 Answers
Great question.
At one of my jobs, there were no official break times in accordance with NY state labor law and the hours we worked) but smokers could go outside and smoke, as long as it wasn’t excessive, meaning one time in the morning and one time in the afternoon. I used to join them and hang out with them so i got the same consideration, even though I don’t smoke.
Later in my local government career, there was a Commissioner of a department who decided that smokers break times would deducted from their official break times, which initially seemed strict but it made total sense. There are people who would be outside all the time smoking. People who didn’t smoke were working and the smokers were outside fifteen minutes of every hour which is just not right.
No, they don’t deserve more break time.
Smoking is a nuisance, a major health hazard, and a huge source of toxic pollution.
My old work place had equal breaks for everyone. The idea that smokers should have more free time for their habit is ludicrous.
Starting around 35 or so years ago, everywhere I worked only allowed smoking during designated breaks, but those were hourly, not salaried jobs. No one got special treatment.
NO!!! I worked in one rather large office where I was the only on who didn’t smoke. Bosses were constantly looking for their assistants & guess who was asked to fill in “just this one time” while the assistant was standing out front taking a “smoke break”. Bosses complained to the manager & the manager complained to the assistants. The assistants bitched they were only taking 5 minutes & it became my job to track all “smoke breaks”. Some abused the privilege more than others. One girl was getting the equivalent of 6 weeks vacation which was 3 more weeks than everybody else was getting. She was given a choice…she could log out for her breaks, she could cut back on breaks, or she could resign. After screaming that she was going to sue, she chose to resign. We never got sued, so we assumed that NO lawyer wanted her case.
No. If you want to smoke on break, it’s your business. Just be back when the break is over.
When I quit smoking like 30 years ago, I realized I did not even know what to do with my break time.
Of course not. This is a very dated question and I can’t believe anyone is still asking it.
No. Most place no longer allow “free” or “extra” breaks to smoke (or vape or whatever). And the reason is just what you identified: the loss of productivity from those employees.
No, but I remember a study a long time ago saying smokers were more productive during their hours at work, so if that is true they were more focused while not on break in average. I don’t remember how large the study was or what type of jobs.
It reminds me of a friend of mine who was able to get a 4 day work week approved, and she took a reduction in pay of 20%. Her work load stayed the same.
For me, just having more freedom in my schedule to go outside or relax in a break room makes a difference. That’s what’s so unfair about it even if both smokers and non-smokers get the same amount of work done. Some jobs it’s almost impossible to make it fair like nursing at a hospital for instance. Either you are available for the patients or you aren’t.
@JLeslie There is a plus side to nicotine. It’s a good stimulant and it increases neuroplasticity. When I was in college and had to stay up late a pack of camels worked better than coffee. Even years after I quit I miss that energy and mental quickness. Nicotine gum does the same thing, the delivery mechanism is just not as fast. It’s not surprising that smokers can be more productive in a shorter time.
@Blackwater_Park I have no argument with your statement, but I think if there was increased productivity for smokers, it’s probably mostly that non-smokers took breaks at the water cooler or while sitting at their desk. In the end it’s the same amount of work probably.
Smokers definitely take longer and more frequent breaks.
When I was working I would skip my break times whenever we were very busy. (Which was most of the time). But smokers never skipped a designated break time (ever). Which caused more work for others.
At my work, technicians are mandated to take 15 min breaks twice a day. What they do during those 15 min is up to them – smoke, coffee, soda, chat, whatever. That makes it fair to everyone. Break is optional for engineers, but we never take them. Bosses know how to max out our day.
My first impulse was to say that they should not get more time to go smoke. It should be taken out of their break time or they should only get to go smoke on their break time.
But then I got to thinking. Other employees might need concessions that the smokers aren’t getting. For instance, I’m on blood pressure medicine and as a result, I probably have to go to the bathroom more than the average person would. I would expect that my job would allow me to go whenever needed to go. In fact I wouldn’t stay there very long if they didn’t allow me to go when I needed to go. But what if somebody who didn’t have that issue (and who didn’t smoke) started questioning why I got to go to the bathroom more often than everybody else? So in a lot of cases it balances out.
@LifeQuestioner But you have a medical condition. Smoking is not a medical condition.
I’m ok with including smoking and other medical conditions as the same. I would say everyone should probably be able to get more breaks if one person can get the breaks. In fact, why not just look mostly at productivity; is the work getting done? Especially desk jobs. It is different when someone has to be coverage on a medical floor, retail environment, or flight attendant. Let the smoker take a shorter lunch and an extra break. If the time works out even then what is the harm? I hate taking a short lunch, but my husband would be fine with it. Both employers and employees need to be reasonable and fair.
Employees without kids are not ok with parents getting more leeway. If parents can leave at 4:30 on Tuesday then everyone can. Or, maybe the person who covers for them can come in a half an hour later. Employees usually will help each other out and often everyone is happier with exceptions and flexibility.
I had an employee who could not work on the Sabbath, so she almost always worked Sundays and the other employees loved not working Sundays. She worked short Fridays in the winter, but she showed great flexibility helping cover when other staff wanted certain days or nights off. As their manager I let them figure out their own schedule with an open door if anyone wanted to complain.
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