Employees Who Smoke in the Workplace

Employees Who Smoke in the Workplace

The Risks of Having these Employees on the Job

Many companies across the United States are making it more difficult for smokers to get jobs in the workplace. Those who smoke are having a hard time getting hired for jobs because of their habit. Secondly, those who choose to smoke may also risk losing their present job. Employers are viewing smoking employees as a risk to have in their work environment. There is an increased risk of accidents in the workplace, loss of productivity, and higher healthcare costs because of employees who smoke.

In the article, "Why Business Should Get Serious About Smoking," Howard Weyers states, "The fact is, federal and state laws prohibit employers from discriminating on the basis of age, sex, race, weight, national origin, and other attributes -- and smoking is not a civil right. It's just a poor personal choice." Weyers believes this along with many others at Weyco, INC., a company, which started a policy, which promotes healthier lifestyles. Weyers points out that, "The CDC reports that smoking costs $75 billion a year in excess medical bills and $82 billion in lost productivity. In Michigan alone, tobacco kills 16,000 people annually -- more than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined." The goal of this program is to encourage employees to become healthier, and to increase their ability to accomplish more in their personal and professional lives. The author of this article also speaks about how employment is not a right, but it is something a person has to work and strive for. Therefore, if an employer does not want to hire someone because they smoke, they do not necessarily have to. Smoking is a person's choice and if they really wanted the job, they could decide not to smoke. Weyco INC. and Weyer feel that businesses have the right to protect themselves from the risks and dangers that smokers may impose on their work environment. Weyco INC. wants to cut healthcare costs and can only do this by limiting the number of smoking employees in the workplace. Weyco Inc. and Weyer both believe in their mission of stopping smoking employees in the workplace by saying, "It's not just about saving money. It's about saving lives."

In the article, "Risks of Smoking Could Include Losing Your Job," the author speaks to various people about how smoking can affect a person keeping their job. One woman, Patty Hensley did not get a job she really wanted because of her nicotine habit. The Article States, "We know that demographically approximately 25 percent of the adult population smokes, and that 25 percent tends to have less desirable characteristics in terms of employment," said Dieter Benz, a principal with Investors Property Management in Seattle." Smoking is not what employers want their customers to see. There have also been dramatic increases health-insurance programs have had in the past several years. The article states "Employer-sponsored health-insurance premiums have increased by double