Company Fires All Employees Who Smoke
Michigan Firm Won't Allow Smoking, Even On Employee's Own Time
UPDATED: 5:55 pm PST January 25,
2005
LANSING, Mich. -- A Michigan health care company has fired four of its employees for refusing to take a test to determine whether they smoke cigarettes.
The company enacted a new policy this month, allowing workers to be fired if they smoke, even if the smoking takes place after-hours, or at home.The founder of Weyco Inc. said the company doesn't want to pay the higher health care costs associated with smoking.An official of the company -- which administers health benefits -- estimated that 18 to 20 of its 200 employees were smokers when the policy was first announced in 2003. As many as 14 of them quit smoking before the policy went into effect.
On the company's Web site, it states:
Policy: The company enacted a new policy this month, allowing workers to be fired if they smoke, even if the smoking takes place after-hours, or at home.The founder of Weyco Inc. said the company doesn't want to pay the higher health care costs associated with smoking.An official of the company -- which administers health benefits -- estimated that 18 to 20 of its 200 employees were smokers when the policy was first announced in 2003. As many as 14 of them quit smoking before the policy went into effect.
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- Weyco Inc. is a non-smoking company that strongly supports its employees in living healthy lifestyles.
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