If a smoker takes a 10 min. smoke break every hour, why can't a non-smoker get off 80 minutes earlier?

Question

And where I have worked, 10 minutes is conservative. Shouldn't we get the same time for "breaks" as a smoker?

Answer 1

10 minutes every hour is excessive.

They should get 1 break before lunch, 1 break at lunch, and one break in the afternoon like everybody else.

If they are getting a smoke break of 10 minutes every hour, then yes, I think a non-smoker should get off 60 minutes earlier, because the smokers still have 2 10 minutes breaks that are legit.

Answer 2

No. In all probability, the smoker is more productive than you are. No offense, but this is basic management and human relations/psychology.  People are MORE, not less, productive if they take a break for afew minutes every hour or so.  You should do so yourself-you'll do a better job.

Answer 3

well because a smoker just "Takes" their breaks, with out actual break times, it would only make sense for a non smoker to also get to 'leave' from from their work during those same periods.  As far as leaving 80 minutes early, that would be nice, but would never be an option.

Answer 4

I dont think smoker's should get a smoking break. They should take there normal breaks like everyone else and smoke then. At my past jobs we usually had three breaks  a 10, 30 and another 10 and in that time that's when I would smoke. If that's the case at your job I would be complaining LOL

Answer 5

I KNOW, RIGHT???? That is exactly why I started smoking. I worked at a luxury hotel where I was always busy. I worked full hours and my coworkers got breaks to go to a really nice smoking lounge. I had to start smoking!

Answer 6

Smokers shouldn't be allowed to waste company's time every time they need a "nicotine shot" just because they are addicts. It's totally unfair to other co-workers who do not have such an addiction. It's like being rewarded with paid free time for doing something not good.

I think you can make a good case should you decide to bring this situation up to your supervisor. The only problem is that he/she may also be a nicotine addict, thus rendering ineffective any effort to discontinue such unfair practice. Buy try anyway, and see what happens. I must advise you, though, to be very discreet in doing this if you don't want to find your 4 wheels punctured or your work sabotaged by "unknown perpetrators".  

Answer 7

Our union says, the 2 15-min paid breaks in an 8 hour shift must be taken like that... 2 15 minute periods, not either 6 5-min breaks, or leaving a half hour early.

early in my career, all the non-smokers got together and told the manager that they expected to go on gum-chewing breaks to even things out. Smoke breaks were not allowed to continue once that was brought to their attention ;-)

Answer 8

Employers are required to allow all employees to take breaks -- If you don't take your breaks it doesn't mean you can just leave early (unfortunately).  If the smokers at your job are taking longer or more breaks, its because management isn't enforcing the rules/laws the way they should be.

Answer 9

You used to be a laboratory beagle, right?

Answer 10

Maybe so,,,,and men should get off ealier because women take longer pee breaks.

Answer 11

i totally agree.  i would say talk to your boss but, let's be honest, they're not going to care and i doubt they'll say "oh yeah, sure, take more time for yourself."

Answer 12

Could care less what they do. It is not about the time put it, it is about the work produced. I manage my time well. If someone is outside smoking and not working that is their problem. I'm leaving when I'm leaving whether you have your shite together or not. I've seen many non-smokers just stand around and chit chat for the same amount of time a smoker goes outside. It's all a wash to me.  

Answer 13

Yes, you should get the same amount of break time. That is a cardinal rule in corporate health promotion. There should be an equitable "break" policy... to be used however the person wants, but applied to everyone across the board... regardless of your smoking status. I'd file a grievance if I were you.

Answer 14

Quit yer bitchin.  If you would stop being such smoke n**i's and let us smoke at our desks like we used to be able to, this wouldn't be an issue.

You can't have it both ways.

Answer 15

Absolutely! Or we can save up the time and take off 400 minutes on Friday.

Answer 16

I had the same issue with my job.  I a non smoker didnt take breaks that much, well a fellow co worker and I decided we were to take breaks, too. So each time the smokers came back from there smoke break, we would go outside and take a break.  Needless to say, this got the smokers attn and started to make issues about us taking a break all the time.  Our rebuttle was saying that we went to take a break each time they went to smoke.  Lets just say, it didnt go over well with the smokers but basically one of the supervisors didn't smoke and actually agreed with us, b/c our manager was also going out all the time to smoke... so we know she wouldn't care.  My friend and I did not go down w/o a fight and it worked.

Answer 17

They probably aren't actually allowed to take those breaks. Why don't you go out with them and just not smoke?

Answer 18

I smoke and I take 1 break at 10 and one at 2

I get a 1 hour lunch where I smoke 2 or 3 cigs

I do the mail run in the morning which is a 5 minute walk so I sneak one in then

I often run errands down the street so I smoke while walking to these spots.

All in all, I may smoke 7 or 8 in an average work day but none of those are outside my allowed breaks or on my own time.  Us smokers are very efficient in getting our nicotine fix without losing valuable time.

Answer 19

my dad does not smoke cigs but he will tell his boss he's stepping out for a smoke and take a ten minute nap in his car or just a walk around the building (he works in a room with servers where it's 68 degrees all day and he's getting a little old for that)...i know at my job that getting off that much earlier would mess up time sheet compliance and also would leave us without enough coverage for customers..but you may want to bring it up to your manager or boss and see if you can agree on a break system for everyone

Answer 20

I've often wondered this myself.  Certainly it's up to the person's employer, but everywhere that I've worked, I've been told my one break is my lunch break, and that's it.  Not exactly fair, is it?  

Answer 21

Because your not killing yourself slowly!

Answer 22

Yes you should.  You should also get a mask so you don't have to smell the smoker when they come back from their hourly breaks.  

Answer 23

I would think you should, but technically what the smoker is doing isn't a legally-paid "break," just a socially acceptable one.  It's akin to using your time at work to surf the Internet.

Answer 24

You are thinking of why smoker is allowed this break, So you either are not working.

Answer 25

I don't know where you work, that the smokers take 10 minutes (conservatively) of every hour to smoke, but that is so very wrong!  Honestly, I am a smoker and I incorporate into my lunch time 1 break a day to smoke, typically after I have eaten lunch at my desk.  

I think your company needs to take action on these people going out that frequently. If a person NEEDS a cigarette that bad, they have a HUGE problem.

Answer 26

I always wondered that, myself. Seems very unfair, doesn't it?!

Answer 27

The non smoker is yapping on the phone or taking a break to eat or go to the bathroom.

Answer 28

If you non smokers would just think, you could have it too.

Buy a pack of cigarettes. Take a smoke break. Open the pack, light the cigarette. Just let it burn. You don't have to smoke it, just let it burn. If someone says anything, just say you are taking a smoke break. When it's done burning, break is over. Is that so hard? Now quit your complaining. I know it comes natural. But I'm trying to help you. I need a cigarette now.  

Answer 29

Exactly while I'm continuing to work there slacking off.

Answer 30

Take the extra breaks yourself, if your jobs allows them. I never have worked anywhere that has, except for seven-eleven back in college.

Answer 31

this is at the disgression of the company in and of itself. All companies are required to allow 2 15 min breaks throughout the day. It sux, but if your company caters to the smokers and allows that...thats their choice. And it is your choice on whether you want to take your 2 15 min breaks. Each company has a different policy. So i'm not sure why this is even placed in the government category.

As others have said, you have a choice - u can go stand outside WITH the smokers and take those same breaks if you want to. If you get some schtik for it, just point to the smokers and say i'm taking a smoke break, i just don't smoke. :)