Job Discussion Forums

[Abba]

I have heard that a foreign teacher was fired from the college because he was found smoking in his office. In fact, the other Saudi teachers which occupy the office next to his, complained to the administration and, I think was given a warning, but when found in the second time smoking, he was fired after he objected and challenged their desicion in saying that he was alone in his office with no students and the door was closed, and there was no sign or informtion which ban the smoking in offices?

The question is, how the smoking regulations are applied in you collge/school, and are they strict in this issue? What about the students who go and smoke inside the toilets!! How common is this practice?
Is smoking banned in offices or not ?? And do you think if the teacher was a Saudi, can they fire him?

[veiledsentiments]

Was this during Ramadhan?

I would say that if they have a non-smoking rule, yes he could/should be fired. It is not as though the smoke and stink of cigarettes stays behind a closed door. (as you can tell, I am NOT a smoker...)

Would a Saudi be fired for the same offense? I doubt it... They are under different contracts from expat workers in most Gulf countries, so I expect that the same is true in KSA.

VS

[Abba]

[scot47]

By Royal Decree ALL governement buildins are no-smoking.

[Cleopatra]

Do you know the full story here?

Personally, though obviously I don't know the facts, I strongly suspect that something else may have been behind this guy's sacking. I have seen people (mostly, but not always, Saudis) smoke in places as inappropriate as hospital corridors, and they did not suffer any serious consequences because of their actions. I suppose what I'm saying is that KSA is not California - even if non-smoking rules exist, most people aren't t obsessively fussy as to their application, certainly not to the point of firing an otherwise competent employee just for infringing that one rule.

Did the guy fall out with the Saudi management or commit any major 'cultural' faux pas? In my experience, these - and not the breaking of mundane rules - are usually the reason why expat employees get sacked.

[Mark100]

Abba

You can be fired anytime for anything in Saudi.

That is the way it is for expats in Saudi.

You may get away with all sorts of things but then again you might do something very minor and whamo you are on the plane on the way home.

[Stephen Jones]

You're missing Cleo's point Mark. They will use any excuse to sack you, but the real reason is almost never the stated one.

[Van Norden]

Boss: Sir, there's no smoking here.
Teacher: What are going to do, fire me for smoking?

[Abba]

[Abba]

[also in saudi]

Being fired for smoking?

Seems farfetched in a country where postal employees smoke in the post office and handle mail with cigarettes in their hands. Where Saudi Air Force personnel smoke in almost all air base buildings.

Hard to believe. Seems that all Saudis smoke.

[scot47]

Smoking is a minority habit in KSA. Most Saudis do NOT smoke.

[veiledsentiments]

The smoker was a fool to take on the vice dean, so it sounds like that is why he was fired, not for smoking. Personally if I was a supervisor who informed an employee that they were breaking a known rule... and they replied with a snotty letter informing me that I had no right to tell them what to do....

They would have their final check and be out the door that very day. That kind of foolishness will get a person fired most anywhere in the world.

VS

[thrifty]

[Cleopatra]

I think your reply more or less confirms my suspicions, ABBA.

It wasn't so much the fact that the teacher was in breach of the no-smoking rule that got him sacked, it was his insolence and insubordination to a senior staff member.

This sounds rather more like the KSA we all know and love!