Hello friends I'm sure this topic is a familiar one for many.
I work in LTC and have for the last ten years. I recently was forced to a new facility due to a necessary move. This new location is a smoking facility with dragons aged smoke breaks for residents. I am not a smoker, am sensitive to cigarette smoke, and will not risk my health being exposed to cigarette smoke. It has not been an issue until this evening I was approached by the unit manager who told me it was "my turn" to take the smokers out. I politely declined. There are many employees who do smoke who were available to take them out.
I received a write up without a verbal warning. It will hit the DONs desk tomorrow. Furthermore, the manager must have went gossiping about it because for the rest of my shift coworkers walked past dropping loud comments directed at no one about how "did you hear we can refuse to take the smokers out now?!” Or "hey Nancy I guess tomorrow I'm going to refuse to take the smokers out because I just don't want to!” It was so petty and hostile!
I work in Michigan. I've never been in this position before. Can I truly be obligated to risk my health and be forced to expose myself to a cloud of 15 lit cigarettes or be fired??
Michigan has the Dr. Ron Davis Law which prohibits occupational exposure to tobacco smoke. Residents of the nursing home are allowed to smoke in outside designated areas and can be supervised or unsupervised.
per Google AI: In Michigan, smoking is generally prohibited in most public places, including care facilities like nursing homes, hospices, and assisted living residences, since May 1, 2010
That was my first thought- how many times does a nurse or tech who is a smoker get a chance to go out to smoke? Why would they now object to taking a nurse's turn who does not want to be exposed to the smoke? It's ridiculous that a nurse, tech or any person working in a facility be penalized because they object to being exposed to cigarette smoke.
floydnightingale
62 Posts
per Google AI: In Michigan, smoking is generally prohibited in most public places, including care facilities like nursing homes, hospices, and assisted living residences, since May 1, 2010