Employer threatens firing / cigarette smoking

[jdcr001]

The CFO @ my work place has threatened myself and many other employee's with termination. Can he do this ? I enjoy the friendships that I have developed at work but it gets hecktick at times. I think there empty threats but....... I have worked there for 12 years and only know of 4 terminations. The one time I was threatened was that I ask the CFO, which is one of my two bosses, if we could stop the cigarette smoking in the office areas. He tells me that the owner smokes where he pleases. I replied that this is a severe health risk and he then replied, "if you can't handle the smoking that he would find someone that could". When I first started working here I smoked and found it to be a plus. I have since quit smoking almost 7/8 years ago. I could go on about the strange behavior here at my work place but it would take too long.

PS: The CFO is a chain smoker also.

[ElleMD]

Yes it is legal for him to threaten to fire you. Yes it is legal to do so because you now object to smoking in the office.

[jdcr001]

I am shocked that it is legal to smoke in an office with other non smokers.
It appears to be that the only people that have worke rights are the gov't employees, private sector gets screwed.

[ScottB]

Originally Posted by jdcr001

I am shocked that it is legal to smoke in an office with other non smokers.

I can only suggest you contact your state senator and state house representative and get them to make laws that don't allow smoking in the work place.

[Broadzilla1]

Originally Posted by ElleMD

Yes it is legal for him to threaten to fire you. Yes it is legal to do so because you now object to smoking in the office.

I doubt that it's legal for him to actually fire you for objecting to smoking in the office.

Where is this anyway? I thought all offices everywhere were smoke-free.

Personally, I've gotten real fed-up with the fact that if ONE person objects to smoking in an establishment, said smoking has to stop. That's giving one person WAY too much power!

[jdcr001]

Des Moines, Iowa is the location. I have no problem with someone smoking, just bag the exhale and dispose of it without letting it getting to my lungs.
I suppose I could be like Bill Clinton and not inhale . All kidding aside
I value the replies that have been posted thus far and any additional insite/advise would be greatly appreciated.

[joec]

Threatened to be fired,and being fired are different as night and day.
JoeC

[cbg]

In an at will state, which is every state except Montana (and even includes Montana in some circumstances) you can be fired for any reason not prohibited by law.

Unless you can point to a law that specifies that you can't be fired for objecting to smoke in the workplace, you can be.

[ElleMD]

Originally Posted by jdcr001

I am shocked that it is legal to smoke in an office with other non smokers.
It appears to be that the only people that have worke rights are the gov't employees, private sector gets screwed.

So when you were a smoker and this benefitted you it was ok, but now that you have decided to quit you don't think anyone else should be able to smoke in the office either? Sorry, doesn't work that way. I'm not unsympathetic to wanting to work in a smoke free workplace, being as I can not be around smoke for medical reasons, but you can not legally force them to go smoke-free.

[jdcr001]

I quit smoking about 7/8 years ago while working at this place. I figured I gave them plenty of time to get their heads out of you know where. We are in the 21st century aren't we ? Anyways thanks for the answers, I figured it was not against the law since someone before me would have sued their tales earlier. Maybe them foolish Democrats will pass a nationwide law banning all smoking.

Thanks all