Designated smoking area?

Jez

Hello fellow HR folks,

How do you handle the above? Currently we provide an area outside about 20 feet from the building. This area is usually no problem, but on days like today (windy and rainy), there is no cover and employees tend to gravitate closer to the building where there is cover. This tends to prompt complaints from other employees in the building who claim they can smell the smoke.

Are there legal obligations for providing a comfortable area for employees to smoke?

Thanks in advance,
- Jez

SMace

This is an employee relations issue, not a legal issue. We provide cover from the rain, but no heat. You have to decide how much it's going to piss people off, and how much complaining you can take.

Whatever

You also have decide if the company wants to encourage or discourage employees from smoking.

JudyT929

We don't allow smoke breaks or any breaks (we only work a 7.5 hour day). Smokers don't seem to have any rights least not in Dallas so I'd be surprised if you had to legally provide an area for smokers.

HRinNH

We provide two areas outside our shipping department and out the backside of our plant. Nothing fancy, no cover or comfort, just a place to put their butts before re-entering the building. They don't seem to mind (haven't heard any complaints) and the smoke that could drift through the door when they're hugging the wall when it's raining won't bother anyone.

SamanthaQ

We are a place where we provide a service and most of our entrances can be seem by customers.

We have designated their own vehicles as being the desigated smoking area. We don't allow them to hang outside the doors nor do we provide a shelter. It's been working for many years now - although i would think it would be very hot in the summer.

Crout

You have no obligation whatsoever to provide a comfortable area for smokers. In fact, you might have to move them away from the door, depending on what your local ordinances say about smoking in the workplace. Many companies are not allowing smoking on the property at all, much less providing a nice shelter.