Whirlpool suspends 39 workers, says they lied about smoking

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-53/1208909350123450.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

4/22/2008, 8:00 p.m. EDT
By TOM MURPHY
The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Smoking can be hazardous to your health, and it's turning into a bad career move, too.

A Whirlpool Corp. factory in Evansville, Ind., suspended 39 workers who had signed paperwork claiming they don't use tobacco after they were seen smoking or chewing tobacco on company property. Now, some could be fired for lying, company spokeswoman Debby Castrale said.

Rising health care costs are turning employers across the country into nannies. Annual health care premiums are rising more than 10 percent a year, and many companies are fighting this by trying to encourage healthy living, said Indianapolis benefits lawyer Mike Paton.

The fine print on those forms often tells employees that lying could lead to a suspension, termination of benefits or dismissal. snip

In Evansville, the 1,500-employee factory charges tobacco users an extra $500 in annual health insurance premiums. The refrigerator factory has levied the extra premium since 1996, and it depends on employees to honestly fill out forms. It doesn't mandate blood tests to detect nicotine or trail employees outside work, Castrale said.

[enid602]

1. wonder

I wonder who snitched on them.

[HockeyMom]

2. Sign a waiver for the insurance

Would they still fire them?

[Poll_Blind]

3. Interesting. n/t

PB

[Bluebear]

4. 'It doesn't ...trail employees outside work' - well bully for them. nt

[Mind_your_head]

5. ehm, how much could we fine shrubco for lying (AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY)

don't focus on the little guy who is "just trying to get along" .....faults and all....FOCUS ON THE BIG FISH!!!!!!

Peace,
M_Y_H

[dysfunctional press]

9. i don't know- what forms did he sign...?

:shrug:

and what's it got to do with smokers getting fired at a whirlpool plant anyway?

[Mind_your_head]

10. THIS is the 'form that he signed'.....

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

[dysfunctional press]

12. are there any fines indicated in the wording of the document he signed...?

and what does it have to do with some whirlpool workers being suspended? :shrug:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. The magic words are

"... on company property."

The workers signed an agreement and got lower premiums, so they broke the deal. I say they asked for it, and they got it. Clearly, the employer doesn't care what the workers do OFF COMPANY PROPERTY.

Idiots.

[Mind_your_head]

7. Let me REPEAT....post #5

Tangerine, you're such a 'peach' :eyes:

[LiberalFighter]

8. Actually, I believe there was a case in Indiana where they ruled

the company can dictate on their own property but not off company property. The company lost the case because they were trying to prohibit actions off the property.

[lib2DaBone]

11. just a wild guess.....but this may have something to do with it

La-Z-Boy, Whirlpool Moving Hundreds Of Jobs To Mexico

The more they can harass workers and get them to voluntarily quit or leave, the less it will cost the company in severance benefits (if they even pay any separation benefits. Wall street loves this kind of thing. It's the Republican way. (At my last job, they were hiding employee's mail and listening in on telephone calls just before layoffs) You can expect lots more of this type of activity in the Airlines and Manufacturing area as Conservatives run the country into the ground and pocket $$$.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_125124.asp

[Rosemary2205]

13. I call bullshit

Whirlpool was NOT bullying anyone. Smokers were not being penalized at all. Instead, Whirlpool was using financial incentives to encourage people to make healthier habits. These folks were financially rewarded for not smoking. Whirlpool also has incentives for people trying to change their habits, including financial incentives for being in a smoking cessation program or a weight loss program. These incentives can amounts to $1000's a year and the program is completely optional. Whatever else Whirlpool is doing with it's workforce, it IS getting this one right. IMHO. 39 people signed a lie in order to steal money from their employer. They could have simply kept to themselves, been happy with the pay they had, and kept on smoking. They are lucky all they got was fired.