A pregnant women working for Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City has been denied the accommodation of working in a non-smoking section of the casino. Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), an organization that is determined to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos, has spoke out against the news.
Nicole Vitola, co-founder of CEASE and a longtime table games dealer, said in a statement emailed to PlayNJ:
“Our pregnant colleague’s story of being put in an impossible situation is heartbreaking, but unfortunately not uncommon.”
CEASE has spoken out numerous times against smoking inside casinos and has called on lawmakers to start moving legislation that has been introduced. It is currently appealing a NJ Superior Court decision at the Supreme Court level.
NJ legislature continues ‘dragging their feet’ on smoking bill
The woman who is the subject of CEASE’s response is four-and-a-half months pregnant. She had experienced a miscarriage three times prior, according to NJ.com.
Vitola knows the feeling of being pregnant and having to work in a smoke-filled environment. She had to do so twice and understood the risks both times.
Unfortunately, Vitola wasn’t in a position to leave her job. She worked in fear nearly every day of her pregnancies. It’s sad that even today, the health of casino workers, particularly pregnant women, is still not protected.
“It’s heartbreaking to know that even today, women are forced to make the same impossible choice: risk their health and their child’s health or lose their paycheck and health benefits,” Vitola contined.
“This is a failure of basic worker protections, and it’s time for Governor Murphy, Senate President Scutari and the rest of the New Jersey legislature to stop dragging their feet and take decisive action to protect the working people who keep this industry running.
“The health and safety of tens of thousands of casino workers and their families can’t be put at risk any longer. The silence from our leaders is not just disappointing, it is dangerous.”
CEASE calls for change
The latest example of a pregnant woman getting denied accommodations is the exact reason CEASE wants smoking banned inside casinos.
CEASE is currently going through the legal route to do so. However, after the NJ Superior Court ruled against casino workers, CEASE had to change course, despite appealing to the NJ Supreme Court.
The organization has put pressure on lawmakers within the Garden State. It published a digital campaign, called “Kids of CEASE,” across multiple social platforms in key legislative districts. The campaign portrays the lives of the lives of children and grandchildren of families who worked in smoke-filled environments.
CEASE will not rest until all casino workers are protected against second-hand smoke.