Monday, March 3, 2014

I am outraged, pissed off and ready to fucking hurt someone right now! 

I am currently looking for a new job and someone told me that Cigna was hiring in its claims department. So I logged onto their site and actually found a position that seemed to fit what I was looking for. I cliked on the job description and everything seemed to be good until I got to this little blurb, which I will share with you in a just a moment. When I read this paragraph, a measly couple of sentences I became instantly enraged and went completely apeshit! I literally screamed out loud, " ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?". My poor cat took off running I yelled so loud.

Ok so I am a smoker (cigarettes here folks, not crack or pot) and yes I understand that it's bad for me. I also get the 2nd hand smoke thing too, well to a degree. I'm just being honest. But in my eyes it is what it is, so I smoke big fucking deal right? WRONG according to Cigna. Here is the paragraph that was embedded in their job posting:

Cigna strongly embraces the scientific evidence that the use of tobacco products is harmful to the health of the user, the user’s family, and the general public.  Cigna's mission is to improve the health, well-being and security of the people we serve, which starts with our employees. Starting with job offers dated January 1, 2014, Cigna will no longer hire – where state law permits -- applicants who use tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and chewing or smokeless tobacco.  Currently, these states are: AL, AK, AZ, AR, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, MD, MA, MI, NE, OH, PA, TX, UT, VT and WA.
If you’re passionate about making a difference one individual at a time, and would like to join the Cigna team, you’ll be screened for nicotine as part of the pre-employment drug screen in states that allow the screening. If you test positive for nicotine, although we won’t be able to offer you employment, we encourage you to check with your medical provider to explore your options and resources for quitting. Once you’re tobacco-free, you may re-apply for jobs with Cigna in [six] months.

So no matter how qualifed I am for this position or how hard of a worker I am I would be turned down simply because of a choice that I make to smoke. Since when did America become a communist country? Is it really any of their business what I choose to do on my own time? I cannot fathom how this is possibly legal. Is this not discrimination? Are they turning down applicants because they may have a drink of wine with their dinner? Are they turning away people who overeat? 

I could understand if I filled out my online application, got an interview but got turned down because I wasn't qualified or didn't answer their questions the way they wanted them to be but to not even be considered because I smoke is a fucking outrage. Who the hell do these people think they are?

I hope somehow someone from this people-bashing company gets wind of my post because believe me I searched their site for a place to contact them to give them a piece of my mind but couldn't find one. God please let someone see this! I am just so pissed off right now I don't even know what else to say.

So to anyone who reads this thank you for being my sounding board.