Northern angel
28-12-2005, 01:07 AM
Hello survivors,
The newspapers recently have made quite a story out of the reported sacking of Sophie Bling. Which this week has not been the ones I usually read. As I have had limited time what with party entertainment in old peoples homes and taking round groups of children to sing carols in hospital wards.
Nevertheless, Sophie feels the need to seek legal advice. Well to all intensive purposes this will end with a verbal chat and probably a backhander. Pardon me for being sceptical. But, why do I feel this to be the case.
Firstly, the company a computer data firm, had left specific instructions with an agency who as a third party had made the original mistake. The instruction that was not met was that only non smokers were to be considered for there vacant post. The alternative issue here could be that maybe Sophie failed to inform the agency she was a smoker whether or not the question was asked.
Secondly, can we really assume that someone within the space of a five minute tour around the office was actually functioning in the job at that point of time. Hardly time enough to become aquainted with any proposed duties let alone colleagues.
Thirdly, I am dubious about whether she had been offered the post in the beginning, there are many occassions in my working life when I have been given a tour of a working environment after having an interview, and would say that maybe they were trying to ascertain whether the environment met my expectations and what likely feedback this would give the company as to my suitability for the post in question. I even remember sitting in a large open plan office full of smokers for one day, and at the end of the day, I made a point of saying that I would not be taking up the position to the section head.
This was an advertising company with a seriously unhealthy work environment.
The only other issue remaining is that whilst most firms now have an anti smoking policy, is to ask; is it fair to not employ smokers who smoke in there own private time? Sophie had informed her employer afterall, that she would respect the company work policy of not smoking; whilst at work, or engaged in work activities.
What do you think?
Has employment legislation gone to far in allowing positive and negative descrimination?
Maureen
Northern angel.
The newspapers recently have made quite a story out of the reported sacking of Sophie Bling. Which this week has not been the ones I usually read. As I have had limited time what with party entertainment in old peoples homes and taking round groups of children to sing carols in hospital wards.
Nevertheless, Sophie feels the need to seek legal advice. Well to all intensive purposes this will end with a verbal chat and probably a backhander. Pardon me for being sceptical. But, why do I feel this to be the case.
Firstly, the company a computer data firm, had left specific instructions with an agency who as a third party had made the original mistake. The instruction that was not met was that only non smokers were to be considered for there vacant post. The alternative issue here could be that maybe Sophie failed to inform the agency she was a smoker whether or not the question was asked.
Secondly, can we really assume that someone within the space of a five minute tour around the office was actually functioning in the job at that point of time. Hardly time enough to become aquainted with any proposed duties let alone colleagues.
Thirdly, I am dubious about whether she had been offered the post in the beginning, there are many occassions in my working life when I have been given a tour of a working environment after having an interview, and would say that maybe they were trying to ascertain whether the environment met my expectations and what likely feedback this would give the company as to my suitability for the post in question. I even remember sitting in a large open plan office full of smokers for one day, and at the end of the day, I made a point of saying that I would not be taking up the position to the section head.
This was an advertising company with a seriously unhealthy work environment.
The only other issue remaining is that whilst most firms now have an anti smoking policy, is to ask; is it fair to not employ smokers who smoke in there own private time? Sophie had informed her employer afterall, that she would respect the company work policy of not smoking; whilst at work, or engaged in work activities.
What do you think?
Has employment legislation gone to far in allowing positive and negative descrimination?
Maureen
Northern angel.