If cancer sticks and super-sized meals are two of your close friends, listen up.

You may have been aware of reports over the past couple years rumoring companies introducing policies that would potentially whip their employees into healthy armies of do-rights. News magazine shows began running pieces about one-off organizations that offered incentives to smokers who quit, and other similar happenings. I didn’t pay much attention because I don’t smoke, I exercise religiously, and shy away from fast food. It seems in recent months the previously employee-oriented benefits pendulum for health initiatives has swung the other way.

Health care is no easy issue to tackle, especially for companies who need more cash floating around. Let’s say a corp needs to produce more and save money at the same time to appease investors and clients. One of the more practical ways to accomplish this is to weed out those who “bring up the caboose”. Apparently in a growing number of employers’ eyes, the caboose is smokers and the obese.

Now, please keep in mind, the vast dichotomy of today’s general workplace is a beautiful thing and our differences are what make the world go ’round, but news is news and I bring you these editorial posts in hopes that you can better your situation through awareness.

I’ve been hearing reports from all over the U.S. of employers testing their workers for tobacco use. If found “guilty” of lighting up, fines are dropped down on the unlucky individual…if they’re lucky. Yes, lucky. Compared to some workplaces that are actually firing smokers and excessive eaters, a fine can be compared as a light slap on the wrist.

Now, you may be asking yourself how someone can be tested for “unhealthy eating habits”. Good question, here’s the answer. If you find yourself being hooked up to a blood pressure machine in the near future, don’t be too surprised.

My personal opinion…test the employees for productivity. Whatever happened to depending on good ol’ fashioned performance evaluations? Who’s to say that the head honcho administering the “healthy habit” tests isn’t an overweight smoker themself? This whole business of punishing or completely cutting someone off from a job due to nicotine and fats is sketchy territory and I do believe there is much to unfold in the coming years.

How would you feel if you lost your job or benefits due to what someone else deems to be unhealthy enough that it warrants penalizing actions?

Additionally, alcohol is not being tested for (widely, at least). Do you believe over-eating and puff puffing on cigarettes is worse than a drinking habit?

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