EU ROW OVER WORKPLACE SMOKING RULES
August 1st, 2006
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has rebuffed media reports claiming it supports employers discriminating against smoking employees. Brussels issued a communiqué rejecting claims that because European Union legislation only specifically bans work discrimination over age, handicap, sexual orientation and religion, it backed smoker victimisation. "The Commission has strong doubts that is politically acceptable to discriminate against smokers", which was "certainly not the right way" to oppose tobacco use, said Brussels.
ENDS
THE EUROPEAN Commission has rebuffed media reports claiming it supports employers discriminating against smoking employees. Brussels issued a communiqué rejecting claims that because European Union legislation only specifically bans work discrimination over age, handicap, sexual orientation and religion, it backed smoker victimisation. "The Commission has strong doubts that is politically acceptable to discriminate against smokers", which was "certainly not the right way" to oppose tobacco use, said Brussels.
ENDS
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