# How far should employers go in regulating off hours behavior?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-should-employers-go-in-regulating-off-hours-behavior/185878>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 2, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-should-employers-go-in-regulating-off-hours-behavior/185878 "2003-07-02T22:09:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-should-employers-go-in-regulating-off-hours-behavior/185878/21 "2003-07-04T03:43:13Z")

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> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by Fuji Kitakyusho \*  
> \*\*1) The health hazards of smoking are well documented.  
> 2) It is a reasonable assumption that those individuals who smoke choose to do so in spite of the health risks, rather than because they are not aware of the risks.  
> 3) Choosing to smoke despite the significant risk to your health and the health of persons around you is an error in judgement.  
> 4) Persons who are prone to making judgement errors should probably not carry guns. \*\*

Couldn’t you say the same about skiing, or even driving a car? Both have well-known risks of injury and death to oneself and others, and both are optional activities. According to your logic, people who ski or drive a car are making errors in judgment, and therefore should not carry guns.

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**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-should-employers-go-in-regulating-off-hours-behavior/185878/22 "2003-07-04T17:17:41Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mr2001 \*  
> According to your logic, people who ski or drive a car are making errors in judgment, and therefore should not carry guns. \*\*

Driving is a required part of most forms of field police work, smoking is not.

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**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-should-employers-go-in-regulating-off-hours-behavior/185878/23 "2003-07-04T17:25:03Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mr2001 \*  
> According to your logic, people who ski or drive a car are making errors in judgment, and therefore should not carry guns.

A local ambulance co near me actually had a policy of not hiring currently employed firefighters due to their propensity for getting hurt and missing work. So dangerous outside activities can be an issue.

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**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-should-employers-go-in-regulating-off-hours-behavior/185878/24 "2003-07-05T00:32:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by drachillix \*  
> \*\*Driving is a required part of most forms of field police work, smoking is not. \*\*

True - while on the job. But by driving on his personal time, he’s increasing the risk to himself (and others) beyond what’s required for his job, like a firefighter who enters burning buildings in his spare time.

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