Friday, April 23, 2010

Big Brother Comes To The Private Sector in Des Moines

In effort to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the cost of healthcare, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa has decided for its workers and future workers to call it quits.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield is sending that message to potential employees in a policy that will go into effect June 1.

The insurer will "require applicants to assert that they are tobacco-free in order to be considered for a position," said Rob Schweers, spokesman for Wellmark, which employs approximately 1,600 people in Des Moines and another 200 throughout the rest of the state.

Wellmark is asking existing employees to stop using tobacco by Oct. 1. The new policy also prohibits any smoking during work hours, including scheduled breaks and during lunch.


While The Right Guy believes that businesses can set standards as to what can be done on work property and on work time, I also believe that what you do off hours is your own business. Of course new employees will know ahead of time what the deal is, and therefore not apply or work for the company if they so chose based on the policy, it is onerous to expect that current employees quit smoking, not matter "the good intent" and "greater good" the company believes it is doing.

This is one more example of organizations, such as the government and private enterprise, infringing on people's privacy and personal lives. What's next? Alcohol? Weight? Driving too fast? How about wearing a helmet if they ride a motorcycle? Too many children? I can see these do gooders and big brother advocates pushing such agendas in government and private enterprise. It would seem that feudalism is creeping back into our society, a modern combination feudalism, socialism and authoritarianism.

"We're most concerned about the health of our employees, but we do know health care costs are higher for people who smoke," he said. "It is our hope that this policy provides incentive for people to quit, which will result in a healthier, more productive work force."


Well Rob, I hope you wear it well. Your fabian views will not serve you well in the long run as you will cut out a sizable portion of the population that wouldn't work there not only because they do not smoke, but also because your company is oppressive, arrogant, and socialist. I know I wouldn't work there for any amount of money.

I also want to say that I do not smoke, I do wear a helmet when I ride, and I have lost a lot of weight, although I do like to go fast, make a lot of kids. Freedom is at stake, and these arrogant progressive bastards need to be pushed back at every instance. Where is the ACLU when you need them? They are noticeably absent when it involves activities that are deemed politically incorrect, like smoking, guns rights, etc. Obviously they are off tilting at windmills.

Thank you for reading this blog.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lost some weight, eh? Did you try the paleo/evolutionary diet? It sure worked for me.

commoncents said...

Thank You for posting this! Keep up the great work!!

Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com

The Right Guy said...

@William:
Lap Band. 88 Lbs Down.

@CC
You're welcome
@Deano
Yeah he does. I guess he couldn't work there. I wonder if that includes the occasional cigar or pipe?. What about pot?

Chuck said...

I don't miss being a smoker. That said, I was one productive mother-jumper when I was a smoker. I'm still as productive as ever, I just don't smell like shit anymore.

This can all be traced to government influence. Smoking is an overall social neutral when examined in an objective sense. Those with influence, however, think smoking is yucky and endeavor to make sure that people they will never meet are prevented from doing it.

I think meddling in the lives of strangers should be punishable by death. It's the most pernicious of nasty habits and those who have it will never be cured of it. They need to be put down in the interests of national health.

The Right Guy said...

I like to call them CFs or control freaks. Those that know better than we do. It's the height of arrogance and when coupled with any kind of power, it becomes a recipe for tyranny. These dictatorial scumbags would like us to live in a prescribed manner through proscription of many things. Meat will be off the table next, then alcohol, and after that if you have too many kids, that will be no good too. It's authoritarianism, and it knows neither left nor right, just that it knows best.

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