So I'm going to get a drink from the water fountain towards the end of my shift, and behind it is stuff outside the nurse's office listing support for quitting smoking.
There is apparently a work-approved program where I could receive over the phone counseling for 5 weeks or more to help me quit smoking.
This makes sense because our job pays for our insurance directly. They actually charge us a fine if we are smokers.
However beside it is a sheet for mental health awareness. I noticed that all of the checklist, the “emotional thermometer” they listed, are all things that affect our ability as a worker, but not how our job affects us.
I also noticed all of the solutions to emotional distress where things that tend to be difficult when working the job. Like getting adequate rest or eating well when we work 12 hour night shifts and are frequently mandated.
Like, going for walks or doing enjoyable tasks?
Are they really going to regurgitate my middle school counselors advice, when this company makes at least 5 billion profit every year and yet does not cover any mental health under their insurance.
And then I realized, that if I got lung cancer they couldn't prove that it wasn't from working there. And that if you quit smoking it's potentially less likely you'll get cancer while working there.
However, with all the additional life insurance and accident coverage that I am paying for, none of it applies if I were to take my own life.
They could drive me up the wall, ignore every suggestion we make to make our lives a little easier, and if one day I decide to take up ceiling painting as a hobby they don't have to pay a damn thing.
Just made me sick is all.