Whirlpool plant suspends 39 workers for lying about smoking

Whirlpool Corp. 's Evansville, Ind., plant has suspended 39 workers for smoking while claiming on their health insurance they were nonsmokers.

[Joe]

Maybe they were not smokers when they filled out the form. Also if they did lie to their health insurance provider, is that lying to the company as well?

[Tic]

My company has the non-smoker/smoker policy and if you start smoking you are required to notify the insurance administrator and company

yes it's lying to both.

[Miss Tee]

They should be suspended or fined. What was the point in lying on their health care forms? Tell the truth about what you do. Especially if you are going to do it at the work place. I you are adult enough to make the decision to smoke, then be adult enough to pay whatever extra premiums you will get charged. I don't smoke, but I don't criticize people that do. Its their business, however, be accountable for the choices you make.

[Miss Tee]

Joe wrote:

Maybe they were not smokers when they filled out the form. Also if they did lie to their health insurance provider, is that lying to the company as well?

I thought about that too. But I doubt that its likely that they weren't smoking when they filled out their forms. And if they lied to their health insurance provider, they lied to the insurance company as well.

[nova0311]

I wonder if the insurance company gives out a $500 fine for having high cholesterol or being overweight as well? If they did, there would be lawsuits all over the place, but it's OK to discriminate against smokers. As a former smoker, I have empathy for the smokers and how they are singled out for any and all health issues these days. It's sad how they are the scapegoats for everyone now.

[layla]

At my company insurance forms are submitted through HR. Why would I put down that I smoke when I do not smoke at any time during the work day. They don't need to know that to use it against me. Nor do they need to know that I have Lupus which will eventually kill me, probably long before cigs will. They could use either thing as a reason not to promote me, even though it has no bearing on my current work performance. If I could send in my forms directly to the insurance company then I would disclose these things.

[Voltaire]

Layla I am sorry you have lupus but I am sorrier that you are a liar and a cheat who doesn't see that what you are doing is wrong. You are a poor health risk and the people who are paying for all your health care have a right to know that so they can price the premiums appropriately...

[come on now]

Spies are destroying what little civil liberties(cameras, surveillance etc.) that are left. I would never work for a company who treats there employees like children. I am surprised that they have not moved there plant overseas yet.

[Julie]

layla wrote:

At my company insurance forms are submitted through HR. Why would I put down that I smoke when I do not smoke at any time during the work day. They don't need to know that to use it against me. Nor do they need to know that I have Lupus which will eventually kill me, probably long before cigs will. They could use either thing as a reason not to promote me, even though it has no bearing on my current work performance. If I could send in my forms directly to the insurance company then I would disclose these things.

Layla, I am sorry that you have Lupus, but you DO have to disclose these types of conditions when filling out insurance forms. The insurance company will likely find out anyway if you start filling presriptions for lupus medications. They may raise your premium but will likely drop you when they find out, and that's no joke. Your little lie by omission could find you without insurance when you most need it. And I am sure Lupus care is not cheap. I hope that does not happen but want to see you prepared.

[cosmo]

nova0311 wrote:

I wonder if the insurance company gives out a $500 fine for having high cholesterol or being overweight as well? If they did, there would be lawsuits all over the place, but it's OK to discriminate against smokers. As a former smoker, I have empathy for the smokers and how they are singled out for any and all health issues these days. It's sad how they are the scapegoats for everyone now.

The "fines" for obesity are coming...

[Steve]

Voltaire wrote:

Layla I am sorry you have lupus but I am sorrier that you are a liar and a cheat who doesn't see that what you are doing is wrong. You are a poor health risk and the people who are paying for all your health care have a right to know that so they can price the premiums appropriately...

Yup, Layla -- I'm sorry you're a "liar and a cheat" too -- or maybe I'm sorry that you had to resort to lying and cheating... In Voltaire's fantasy world your company, and the insurance company has the "right to know" so they can price premiums appropriately...

In the rest of the world -- your company has the "right to know" so they can find a reason get rid of your fanny so you don't adversely impact their premiums...

Keep doing what you're doing Layla -- companies who unload people for those reasons and companies that do not hire people for those reasons -- and insurance companies that deny coverage because you're a higher risk are, by far, bigger liars and cheaters than you can possibly be...

[oslo59]

What a bunch of spineless Narcs!

[Ex-Smoker]

We are now officially on the slippery slope. Where does it stop and where do the employers and insurance companies draw the line when charging higher premiums? Overweight -- how much overweight 10, 20...50 pounds? Cholesterol too high? How much is too high? Dangerous territory they're in now.

[Meano Cougar]

What about people that drink alcohol.that should be on the forms too, drinking is a health hazard also drinking can cause accidents in the workplace,this smoking BS has gone to far and I am a non-smoker and all you smoking haters watch out they might just come up with something you like to do,were has the American way gone GOD Help You and Your Children, no wonder people are killing each other like crazy.Two people that have been blame for everything you can imagine is the Smokers and Geo. Bush.

[Tim1979]

I think the bigger problem is that in this country, health insurance is linked to employment. If we could break that link and instead tax all employers a fixed amount, as well as tax things like hedge-fund windfalls, then we could fund health insurance for everyone---regardless of employment status---and you wouldn't have to worry about who's watching you smoke at work.

[George Bush]

I will make sure Barbara does not buy any Whirlpool appliances for the Texas ranch after we leave the Whitehouse. I would rather buy Iraqi.