Discrimination and Unlawful deductions?

BottomRung

magenta22 wrote: »

Okay a company (and this was before the smoking ban) I worked for did the following and it worked.

Those who smoked, they could go out and have their smoking break (Most actually would be about 15 minutes or longer and more than twice a day). They were happy.
Those who didn't smoke, they could leave early on a Friday due to not having the smoking breaks - they were happy.

No-ne had time deducted - those smokers who complained (because it was usually them who did!) just got told that if they didn't take their smoking break they could also leave early on a Friday - soon shut them up.

You have a choice though - smoke or don't smoke. If you don't always get your smoking break, you can't be that reliant on them. It is not really a right to have a smoking break a lot of companies now don't have them and you have to have a smoke during your lunch. If you take your smoking break and it's unpaid for 15 minutes - take the full 15 minutes and have two!

If you are on a clocking on and off system then I personally cannot see how this is happening anyway - you are not clocking out for a 15 minute break. Isn't this what they use to do wages and not the list for who is on a smokers list?

You think it'd be that simple, but no. They check the smokers list then make deductions. The reason given for having to make the 30 mins up per day regardless of whether it is taken or not is that they can't be bothered to check whether the time is made up or not or even if the break is taken. Hence 30 mins added per day or 30 mins deducted from salary per day regardless. It seems crazy to me but some people here think thats fine, so who am I to argue?

cavework

TBH I employ both smokers and non smokers but they are not tied to an office or a desk. They are on the road and work in teams of two.
Both the smokers and the non smokers hours come in about the same including a half hour lunch break.
In fact the smokers naturally take less time for a lunch break prefering a couple of coffee.s and fag breaks between jobs .
I understand this is harder in an office enviroment, but as an employer there are as many people who deliver as an employee and a smoker as there are those that don't smoke,forget the smoke breaks.
There has to be some give and take . As far as I am aware the government , while pushing the give up smoking campaign are still very happy to take the ever increasing taxes they apply to cigarettes.

CFC

Ask for a breakdown of the deductions in writing. Put in a grievance if you do not get it.