butt break
njmhr1109
18 Posts
Hello,
We are a small company with 55 employees in Massachusetts. We have a designated smoking room and here's where the problem comes in.
MA law requires a 30 minute break after 6-hours of work. Our hours are 8:30-5:00 with a one hour lunch break.
We have a few employees (non-exempt) in the same department who go to the smoking room more than their supervisor thinks is necessary. The problem is she now wants to dock their pay, stop everyone in the office from smoking, or tell the employees that they are limited to how many times they can go smoke. She thinks that if they can do it then everyone in the office should be able to have a break whenever they want.
Has anyone else experienced this? I feel the reason the employees go more than they should is because they don't have enough work to do. I also think that employees who smoke get a bad rap anyway and that it is just more noticable when they are away from their desk because it is assumed that they're smoking.
Any comments on how to handle this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
njm
We are a small company with 55 employees in Massachusetts. We have a designated smoking room and here's where the problem comes in.
MA law requires a 30 minute break after 6-hours of work. Our hours are 8:30-5:00 with a one hour lunch break.
We have a few employees (non-exempt) in the same department who go to the smoking room more than their supervisor thinks is necessary. The problem is she now wants to dock their pay, stop everyone in the office from smoking, or tell the employees that they are limited to how many times they can go smoke. She thinks that if they can do it then everyone in the office should be able to have a break whenever they want.
Has anyone else experienced this? I feel the reason the employees go more than they should is because they don't have enough work to do. I also think that employees who smoke get a bad rap anyway and that it is just more noticable when they are away from their desk because it is assumed that they're smoking.
Any comments on how to handle this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
njm
Comments
I've come to realize that supervisors are not always good managers. I've gone to the extent of writing the correspondence for the supervisor. If you're good at it, try coaching the supervisor.
Your problem may be solved shortly - a workplace smoking ban is in the works for the entire state of Massachusetts - so your employes are going to have to get used to not having a smoking room and perhaps that alone will curb the behavior.
I didn't know that a workplace smoking ban is in the works for MA! If passed, is it a must that all employers stop employees from smoking inside the building, or will it be up to the employer? Employees will of course go outside which is another issue altogether.
My concern is if, as an employer, do we have the right to tell employees how long they can take a break and how many per day?
Thanks,
njm
But Deez is right, I will go outside in any weather or weather condition to have a smoke. That is another issue altogether but the more inconveinent you make it- you can mandate that smokers be a certain number of feet away from the building- the less some people will take the trouble. The real issue is enforcing the break rule for all employees, although some hard core smokers think they are entitled to extra because of the intense craving, its only a few minutes, etc.
Yes, you have the right to tell your ee's when and if they have a break. Just make sure to follow the break law in your state and that everyone gets the same amount.
In my area, I tell them when and how long they can take a break. If they take more, they are written up.
Nrdgrrl
Nevada is the worst state in the nation for smoking per capita. Partly to do with the casinos and the desire of the gamblers (who bring their money) to smoke and drink.
We have a few smokers, both exempt and non-exempt. One particular exempt takes more breaks than everyone else, but gets her work done and is an overall good employee. My only issue is the mess they make in the area outside our building where the smoking is allowed. It is a small bbq grill that inevitable ends up as a big ashtray.
I certainly wouldn't want to try to monitor and try to correctly dock their pay, that would be opening a whole new can of worms that is best not opened. It would be better, in my opinion, to dicipline the smokers who are abusing the situation. It will correct the problem or you fire them. You mentioned that you believe that they might not have enough to do. My experience is that there is always something that can be done. But if you end up terming a few employees, the others can always take up the slack. That way they get the message management won't put up with it and they will be too busy to slip away.
Good Luck.
James Sokolowski
HRhero.com
Maybe that's how non-smokers can get even with smokers who take frequent butt breaks. Non smokers need their butt-denumbing breaks. x:D