Smoking during working hours is again a hot issue in Germany. German associations of small and medium enterprises BVMW and UMW came up with a new initiative for a complete ban on smoking in worplaces including smoking outside buildings. They see it as a way to increase productivity. Smoking in workplaces and most public places is already illegal in Germany, most companies, however, allow workers to smoke outside.
Associations of small employers argue that smoking breaks cost companies large sums and consider it as discrimination against non-smokers who work without breaks. A recent
University of Hamburg study quantified company losses due to smoking pauses during working hours to 28 million euros per year.
Enforcing the ban on smoking during working hours will not be easy and according to Deutsche Welle it cannot be expected in the foreseeable future. A fear that the complete ban on smoking could mean "dictatorship of nonsmokers" has appeared even among politicians who support strict laws protecting non-smokers in the workplace. The Federation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) supports the current practice when individual companies schedule smoking breaks for their workers.
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