Starting next month, new rules from Nottinghamshire County Council, mean over 9,000 of their current staff will be banned from smoking during working hours.
The new rules, which were just approved yesterday, will be enforced mid-May and also includes any form of E-cigarettes. Any workers found breaking these rules will be formally disciplined.
The initiative has been proposed to improve the health and productivity of council workers. NCC has said the ban will include all council buildings, land and vehicles.
The chair of Nottinghamshire County Council, Joyce Bosnjak, said in a statement;
“The harm that tobacco causes stretch across all parts of society, and if we are to make significant progress in tackling it locally, we also need to ensure that we address it in the workplace… We have a responsibility to protect the health of our employees.”
Is this a case of; good leadership and improving the health/wellbeing of employees or HR playing ‘nanny’ to their staff and removing their rights to make lifestyle choices as adults?
