Japanese company fines man of 9 lakh for over 4,500 smoke breaks he took in 14 years during work

Chandigarh, March 31

If you are a chain smoker and avail too much smoke breaks at work, this news may disappoint you. Recently, a Japanese company penalised its employee for taking as many as 4,500 breaks for smoking in 14 years in the service, as per a report by Japanese outlet, The Mainichi.

The 61-year-old civil servant was fined 1.44 million yen, or approximately Rs 8.94 lakh, of his wages for his alleged hiatuses for smoking during work.

He and two of his co-workers received 10 per cent salary reductions for six monthsowing to their aforementioned practice despite many warnings from Osaka officials.

The penalty attracted mixed response from public.

Osaka has some of the strictest smoking laws in the world and, in 2008, it introduced a total ban on government premises such as offices and public schools.