This certainly wouldn't be legal here and it may not be in Germany, either. But that didn't stop a boss from firing three of his employees for what he claims is a just cause.
A man known only as Thomas J., the manager of a 10-person IT company named
Buesum in
Berlin, has sacked a trio of workers because they didn't smoke. The executive claims the now displaced group were 'threatening to disturb the peace' over their demands for a cigarette-free environment.
So the boss - an avid puffer who toils in an office where the rest indulge in the habit - decided he'd had enough with all the anti-smoking rhetoric, and let the complainers go. The manager was aggravated after Germany instituted a new law January 1st that bans smoking in pubs and restaurants. But it doesn't say anything about small offices and the practice is still allowed there.
So Thomas J. decided to use that as the basis for his bizarre reason to dismiss the employees. "I can't be bothered with trouble-makers," he told a local newspaper. "We're on the phone all the time and it's just easier to work while smoking. Everyone picks on smokers these days. It's time for revenge."
It's not clear if his actions are legal or whether the fired employees will seek compensation or try to get their jobs back. But judging from this action, many are wondering why they'd want to return.
And according to Thomas J., they're no longer qualified for the positions. "I'm only going to hire smokers from now on," he promises.