My Favorite 20 Minutes Of The Work Day

Published on June 9, 2004 By Lenbert In Blogging

I am forced to listen to AM talk radio in my truck. I am "forced" because my FM died a couple years ago and I have a cassette jammed in the tape player (Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2).

There is a local radio talk show host that is aired 3pm to 7pm. My drive time home from work is 4:30pm to 5:00pm. So basically, I only get to hear about 30 minutes of the show.

The topic yesterday (Tuesday) was "Smoking On Your Work Break". Apparently, there is a law firm here in Richmond, VA that has completely banned smoking during their morning and afternoon break periods. The talk show host's "take" on the issue was "I'm anti-smoking", "Smoking on break decreases productivity", "An addiction is an addiction and alcoholics don't get a 'beer break'". and all praise to the company that established this rule.

Bone to pick!

First of all, yes, I'm a smoker. Last time I checked, smoking cigarettes is legal, right? So is coffee, and yes, so is beer.

Secondly, legally I have the right to take a 10 minute break for every 4 hours of work. Which I do. Since it's a smoke-free building, I'm usually in my vehicle in inclimate weather, but hey - I'm taking my 10 minutes.

Disection:

"I'm anti-smoking".
Good for you! I've tried to quit numerous times, but haven't accomplished that goal yet.
Do I want to quit? Yes.
Do I understand that it's bad for me? Yes, I am completely aware of all the negative aspects of smoking.
Is it legal? Yes.
Am I an adult, capable of making a logical/moral/intelligent decision on my own? Yes.

'"Smoking on break decreases productivity".
Alrighty then! So does getting up to get (or make coffee), receiving personal phone calls, taking a dump in the bathroom (because that's when your daily biological clock says 'you need to take a dump NOW'" at that time everyday) decrease productivity? In addition, what if during my LEGAL 10 minute break, I decided to run nextdoor and buy some lottery tickets? Hey, gambling could be an addiction too. Or better yet, what if I sucked up those 20 minutes over an 8 hour period and left work everyday at 4:10, instead of 4:30? Would the owners of the law firm have a cow about that?

I hope the owners of my company didn't hear this talk show host's rant. I still have my 20 minute break across 8 hours, and I still get my half-hour lunch. I don't think they would do this. They're slightly paranoid about lawsuits. I think they would give the employee the benefit of the doubt. The owners of my company, really, are a great bunch of guys!

Now this local law firm on the other hand......
What would be next? No lottery tickets on your break? The owners carrying riding crops and marching a goose step?

Thank god there are no beer breaks. It takes a mature, coherent individual to admitt this, but if there was any concept of a "beer break", hell I wouldn't get anything done!

LLS

Comments

greywar

on Jun 09, 2004

I agree that you should be allowed to do anything legal in your breaks.

MasonM

on Jun 09, 2004

Actually, by law, when you are on a legal break you are relieved of duty and your employer has no legal right to dictate what you can or can't do on your break. Some employers have side-stepped this by making smoking forbidden on their property which they can do. But an employer can't dictate to an employee what they are allowed or not allowed to do on a legal break.

Forbidding alcohol consumption during working hours is allowed by employers simply because of the effects alcohol has on the body and the safety concerns therein. But smoking, eating, drinking coffee are not not in that same class. Sorry, these guys are dead wrong.

You'd think a bunch of lawyers would know this.

Man I really hate radical anti-smokers. Ok, I don't HATE them, but you get the idea.

I once picked up a load at a place that banned smoking anywhere on their property. Well, I was sitting in my truck having a smoke and the dorky security guard actually had the nerve to tell me I couldn't smoke in MY truck! Note: It wasn't a chemical plant or anything understandable like that

I basically told the dork to go F*** himself. After I had picked up the load I was asked to never come back. Boy did that hurt my feelings.

Lenbert

on Jun 09, 2004

MasonM

Nice!

And thanks for the information!

In response to the "HATE" for radical anit-smokers, yeah to some extent, me too. I'm not anti smoking, but I'm not pro smoking either. I'm pretty much a smoker, sitting on the fence.

If that makes any sense whatsoever.

LLS

MasonM

on Jun 09, 2004

I smoke. Wish I didn't. Am a tobacco junkie. I don't think there's a smoker out there over the age of 16 that doesn't know it's bad for them, but gimme a break already!

Mr_Frog

on Jun 09, 2004

I used to smoke, and I quit four months ago. I'm glad I did, but I could give a shit if someone lights up next to me. I can smell someone who's smoking more readily now (which I think is really weird), but I don't get all preachy about it. There's plenty of other shit that's going to kill me before some second-hand tobacco smoke gets me. I was a considerate smoker (I would put it out if it was really bothering someone) but usually I would tell the cig-nazis to jam it if they started to dig in.

-- B

MasonM

on Jun 10, 2004

usually I would tell the cig-nazis to jam it if they started to dig in.

I know what you mean. One time a few years ago I was sitting at the counter at a truckstop,. The counter was the smoking section. They had a nice big non-smoking section across the room. This guy sits down next to me a immediately begins complaining about the smoke. I ignored him for a couple of minutes until he starting getting really obnoxious about it.

I politely (for me anyway) told him if it really bothered him he should go sit in the non-smoking section. Well, he became even more obnoxious, talking about his "right" to sit where he pleased..yada yada yada. Finally this idiot actually reached over and took the cigarette out of my mouth and crushed it out. I won't go into detail about what happened next, but suffice it to say that smoke was least of his troubles after that and I had a few sore knuckles for a couple of days.

Kayles

on Jun 15, 2004

I used to work for tobacco prevention and I have to agree with you. Besides, how is it going to help by telling a smoker that smoking's bad for them? Like they don't know it? A smoker will quit smoking when they're good and ready. As for the decrease in productivity, sometimes I almost wish I smoked so I could get a 10 minute break every now and then!

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!