Workplace rules vary for chewing tobacco, e-cigs
By Duke Behnke, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The four cities prohibit smoking in municipal buildings and vehicles, in compliance with the state's indoor smoking ban, but no consensus has been reached on the use of chewing tobacco or e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes don't contain tobacco or produce smoke. They are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid nicotine solution to create a vapor that the user inhales to produce a sensation similar to smoking. The process is called vaping.
"There was some strong opposition to putting this in place this year," she said. "Some supervisors were concerned about morale issues."
Barber said the hazards of smoking and chewing tobacco are widely understood. Allowing e-cigarettes, she said, circumvents the appearance of a smoke-free workplace. She also questioned the safety of e-cigarettes for the user and those exposed to second-hand vapors.
In addition,
"Employees in violation of this policy are subject to discipline, up to and including termination,"
Firefighters hired before
Before the changes, Barber said
"I could find very few other municipalities that were allowing the use of tobacco products on duty, like the chewing at their desk or in the station," Barber said.
Employee reaction
"Whomever I'm working with, if they don't like it, I don't do it," Radtke said. "I respect my fellow co-worker."
Radtke is using an e-cigarette to help him quit smoking cigarettes. He hopes he will be free of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes by the time the city's new policy takes effect. He said his health insurance costs would decrease if he could quit.
"It's a win-win, really, provided I can quit," he said. "It's not as easy as some people think."
"If someone has that urge, there is that availability," Leonard said.
Neenah-Menasha Fire Chief
"It's similar to if someone wore too strong of a perfume and it irritated someone's allergies -- we would talk to them about it," she said.
State law prohibits discrimination based on the use of a legal product like tobacco. Firefighters, however, are held to a higher standard because if they develop heart or lung disease or certain types of cancer, state law presumes the condition was related to the hazards of their job, making them eligible for disability benefits.
"You can't discriminate against an employee generally because they choose to smoke, but in the fire service, we can because of the presumption laws," Behnke said.
If a firefighter hired after
"It could have employment consequences," Behnke said. "They might say, 'But it's not a tobacco product; it's an e-cigarette.' We're not going to know that from the test."
Behnke said managers have proposed that e-cigarettes be considered tobacco products. She is waiting for a response from the firefighters union.
If a newly hired
E-cigs allowed
Captain isn't aware of any complaints regarding e-cigarettes, but she has heard complaints regarding employees using chewing tobacco and leaving spit cups or cans behind in a city vehicle.
"The next person goes in, and there it is," Captain said. "That's probably an issue that we will need to address."
Captain also would like to tighten the no-smoking rule to include not only city vehicles, but also city equipment. The current policy bans smoking in a car, for example, but not on a riding lawnmower.
Employee policies
City
Prohibits smoking in city buildings and vehicles
Prohibits use of chewing tobacco in city buildings and vehicles
Prohibits use of e-cigarettes (vaping) in city buildings and vehicles
Prohibits use of all tobacco products for firefighters, even if off duty
Yes
No
Yes
Yes, if hired after
Yes
(ASTERISK)Yes
(ASTERISK)Yes
Yes, if hired after
Yes
No
No
Yes, if hired after
Yes
No
No
No
(ASTERISK)Effective
Source: Human resources directors
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