Nanny-Statists at Work

From the desk of Gene Miller on Mon, 2006-08-07 11:52

Upon reading the latest from those who know better:

Employers in Europe are free to refuse smokers a job, confirming their status as the continent's last pariahs.

The European Commission, which has presided over a vast array of anti-discrimination legislation in the past six years, has confirmed that it does not cover tobacco users.

One can rightfully wonder, "Shouldn't there first be jobs available?"

unempl.png

on the contrary 2

Submitted by marcfrans on Mon, 2006-08-07 21:49.

@ Vanhauwaert

 

1) You are right.  "Unemployment money" should operate like private insurance.  One makes regular contributions in return for a specific (temporary) benefit in case certain conditions apply (in casu job loss). 

The last thing we need is bureaucrats/politicians/apparatchicks acting like 'god' and deciding who gets his or her benefit and who doesn't.

2) There is nothing wrong with the EU Commission 'allowing' employers to decide who they should hire.  But there is something very wrong when the Commission directly and openly 'discriminates' by specifying this only w.r.t. 1 group of people (i.e. smokers).  

3) There is also nothing wrong with employers (including the EU Commission itself as 'employer') deciding for themselves whether they would allow smoking on their OWN premises or not.

On the contrary

Submitted by Bart Vanhauwaert on Mon, 2006-08-07 18:54.

For once the EU gives employers freedom to set their own hiring policy and you cry nanny-statist? This smells a little bit like a knee jerk reaction...