Privatization of Paternalism
This past Thursday, four workers at a Michigan healthcare firm, Weyco, lost their jobs. The reason: refusing to take a drug test, for nicotine. At the end of last year the firm initiated a ban on smoking, telling its employees that they had until January 1st to quit smoking or quit working. The company claims it wishes to keep health costs down and set an example for other companies seeking to improve employee health. More to truth, what they are doing is a fundamental violation of individual rights. They don’t plan to stop with smoking, either. The company also says it plans to crack down on eating and exercise habits if it survives the possible legal challenge.
How does Weyco’s management think they have the right to dictate their employees’ personal habits? If they wish to ban smoking on their property, that is their option. However, saying that employees cannot entertain perfectly legal vices while not on the job is not. Of course, somebody should have seen it coming. It was of course the next logical step after illegal drug tests. That was the first incursion employers made into their employees private lives. Few people complained because we all know that druggies are stupid, lazy, and don’t work anyway. Since Weyco seems to have no qualms about dictating employee behavior 24/7 I doubt they’ll stop with obesity. Their next move is probably to take on sexual deviation. I’m sure they’ll frame it as a way of improving employee health (since everybody who has pre-marital or homosexual sex gets an STD, of course). The real question is what the company will do once it has its cubicle workers in shape to run marathons. Will it move on to spiritual health from physical health and force all employees to attend religious services?
I can only hope that these workers challenge their employers’ blatant invasion of their private lives and rights. I hope somebody takes the next step and eliminates tests for illegal drugs as well. If this trend of increased regulation of private lives is not reversed, one can only imagine what kind of flaming hoops one will have to jump through to get and hold a job. Paternalism: it’s not just for the government anymore.
How does Weyco’s management think they have the right to dictate their employees’ personal habits? If they wish to ban smoking on their property, that is their option. However, saying that employees cannot entertain perfectly legal vices while not on the job is not. Of course, somebody should have seen it coming. It was of course the next logical step after illegal drug tests. That was the first incursion employers made into their employees private lives. Few people complained because we all know that druggies are stupid, lazy, and don’t work anyway. Since Weyco seems to have no qualms about dictating employee behavior 24/7 I doubt they’ll stop with obesity. Their next move is probably to take on sexual deviation. I’m sure they’ll frame it as a way of improving employee health (since everybody who has pre-marital or homosexual sex gets an STD, of course). The real question is what the company will do once it has its cubicle workers in shape to run marathons. Will it move on to spiritual health from physical health and force all employees to attend religious services?
I can only hope that these workers challenge their employers’ blatant invasion of their private lives and rights. I hope somebody takes the next step and eliminates tests for illegal drugs as well. If this trend of increased regulation of private lives is not reversed, one can only imagine what kind of flaming hoops one will have to jump through to get and hold a job. Paternalism: it’s not just for the government anymore.
posted by Conor at 11:16 PM
7 Comments:
Wow, that's an eye-opener. I can't believe they're legally allowed to do that.
I'm sure their lawyers will find some sort of loophole whereby if the employer is paying for the health coverage, then they can govern the health habits of their workers - much like if they are paying their salary, then they can dictate their job description and the tasks under that description....My God. Corporate America knows no bounds in terms of violating the rights of the worker on so many levels. By the way - not all druggies are lazy and don't work. Meth heads get a lot done and work far more hours because they lose track of time in their flurry of speedy activity.
The part on druggies being lasy was meant to be sarcastic. If you'll note my second column, you'll see that I have pretty libertarian views when it comes to drugs/the drug war.
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Well, they have the right, I guess. Unfortunately, when employers start taking over their workers' lives that way, things are going to start resembling "1984."
* shudder!! *
Dayum dat shat! I'm good at what I do, if they are going to fire me because of personal habit, then they can take their bullshit and shove it up their ass.
Corporate America = Everyone's a Bitch
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