- 14 Mar 2002
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Ebisu-based Piala Inc. certainly got a lot of media attention when they decided to grant non-smoking employees or those who'd quit six extra days of paid leave:
A brilliant idea that I hope will catch on with other companies. I've always wondered why smokers are given so much leeway.
Source: Non-smokers get six days extra paid leave to make up for smokers' cigarette breaks at Japanese firm
"One of our non-smoking staff put a message in the company suggestion box earlier in the year saying that smoking breaks were causing problems", said Hirotaka Matsushima, a spokesman for the company. "Our CEO saw the comment and agreed, so we are giving non-smokers some extra time off to compensate", Mr Matsushma told The Telegraph. Resentment among the non-smokers grew because the company's head office is on the 29th floor of an office block in the Ebisu district of Tokyo. Anyone wanting a cigarette had to go to the basement level, with each smoking break lasting around 15 minutes.
A brilliant idea that I hope will catch on with other companies. I've always wondered why smokers are given so much leeway.
According to the World Health Organisation, 21.7 percent of Japanese adults smoke, although the figure is higher among males and older generations. Japanese companies are increasing efforts to protect employees from the impact of second-hand smoke, with Lawson Inc, an operator of 24-hour convenience stores, in June banning smoking in its head office and regional offices.
Source: Non-smokers get six days extra paid leave to make up for smokers' cigarette breaks at Japanese firm