Smoking or drinking off the job is not a good reason to discriminate against a person on the job.
The House Tuesday voted 51-20 in favor of SB122, which bans discrimination against employees for using "lawful products" off the job."This bill is about everybody's private life," said Rep. Blaze Wharton, D-Salt Lake. "What they do at home should not be grounds for losing their jobs."
"That an employer could tell an employee how to live their life off the job is insane," agreed Rep. Arlo James, D-Kearns.
But not all agreed. Rep. Evan Olsen, R-Young Ward, said health care costs are soaring, and that employers who provide health insurance have a right to control those costs. "It's not a moral issue; it's a health issue," he said.
The bill now goes to the governor for his signature.
- The House passed Tuesday what Rep. Jerrold Jensen, R-Salt Lake, termed a "safe fax" bill - legislation intended to protect businesses from a flurry of unsolicited facsimile transmissions.
SB95, which passed its third reading on a vote of 65-0, was forwarded to the Senate. The bill would require businesses that do not want "junk fax mail" to register with the Division of Consumer Protection.
Transmitters of solicitations are prohibited from sending faxes to those whose names are on the list.