As it relates to the issue at hand, discrimination against smokers and hiring there are actually some states where it is illegal.
Of course, government can pass as many laws as they want, but employment discrimination is very difficult to prove. This is hardly anything new. Why do you think that employees in their 60s or 50s are the first one to be given the boot when there are layoffs? Higher healthcare costs. It’s not because the new employee who was doing keg stands in college last year is more valuable than a person with 30 years of experience.
Why do you think that women who are married and in their childbearing years 20s 30s early 40s get paid less than men? Healthcare costs. OB/GYN and child birth costs are expensive.
It’s a dirty little secret.
Happens all the time. Recently government do-gooders tried to ban companies from discriminating against people who are already unemployed. Good luck enforcing that.
You could not hire somebody for any reason and claim it was just because “the position was already filled” or “we decided to go in a different direction” or we hired from within”.
I could decide to not hire somebody who was an outspoken and obnoxious anti-smoker. I don’t have to tell them why. I could just say “we found somebody who we thought was more qualified”.
Now that smokers are victims, are you going to want reparations?