According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, employees
who use tobacco cost their employers $1,300 more per year than those who
don’t. Typically, smokers have higher
health care costs, higher absenteeism
and overall less productivity. While these
statistics are not new, employers today
are taking steps to prevent such costs
from accruing.
Many employers are creating a smoke-free work environment that either prohibits employees from smoking on their
premises or, in some cases, from smoking at all.
“Seventy percent of employees claim
they want to quit smoking, and employers are implementing policies and education programs that help them in this
process,” says Wendy Wigger, director of
wellness for Priority Health. “Arming
employees with the right tools and education is a win-win for employees and
employers.”
Smart Business spoke with Wigger
about an employer’s right to implement
smoke-free polices and how to successfully implement such policies.
Is creating a smoke-free workplace legal?
Yes. Employers have the right to create
a safe working environment for all employees. This gives employers the right to
protect nonsmokers from second-hand
smoke in the work environment. I should
note that, in some cases, a labor union
may have smoking breaks or lounges
included in their contract, but this is
something we’re seeing less and less.
Currently, a growing number of counties in Michigan are implementing work-site regulations requiring businesses to
provide a smoke-free worksite. Restaurants and bars are excluded.
This has been spurred in part by
employee feedback and statistics from
places such as the CDC, which reports
there are more than 250 toxic chemicals
in cigarettes and more than 50 that have
been linked to causing cancer. These
chemicals can be found in second-hand
smoke, thereby placing nonsmokers at
risk for disease.
Don’t employees have the right to take a
break and smoke if they wish?
In general terms, smokers aren’t considered a protected class under the
American Disabilities Act. Therefore,
employers aren’t legally obligated to provide smoke rooms or smoke breaks to
employees.
An employer has the right to create its
own worksite policies that address the
issue of smoking on premises or during
work time. Some employers have taken
a stance to not only specify they are a
smoke-free workplace but that they also
will not hire smokers.
What are some of the best practices used
by companies throughout Michigan who
went smoke free?
Communication and support are two
key factors employers should consider
to ensure a smooth and successful
implementation of a smoke-free work
policy. This includes providing ample
notice to employees that such a policy is
going into place. With good notice and
supportive resources, the employer is less likely to meet resistance. The following are best practice steps utilized by
many employers:
- Educate employees. Supply employees with the statistics about the dangers
of smoking and second-hand smoke. - Assess the effect on employees.
Survey employees to see how many people the policy will affect and obstacles
they may face. - Give employees ample notice of a
policy change. Aim to provide at least six
months notice. - Provide supportive quitting materials and education. It’s important to provide many tools through different mediums. There may be online classes as well
as printed materials and guides to help
people through the quitting process. - Include support for families. If an
employee has family members who
smoke, it may be beneficial to offer help
to them, as well. - Clearly establish policies and communicate policies to employees.
- Implement and enforce new polices
in a nondiscriminatory manner. - Consider offering incentives to non-smokers and those trying to quit.
How can employers use incentives to help
implement a smoke-free environment?
Incentives are a great way to motivate
employees to quit smoking. I encourage
employers to consider rewarding all
nonsmokers — not just those who are
trying to quit. One way to accomplish
this is to offer a monetary incentive to
anyone who is not smoking six months
from the policy start date. Some
employers have rebated the co-pay
amount for nicotine replacement therapies for employees trying to quit.
Regardless of your approach, you want
to be conscious of the message you convey to all employees. This can be a winwin for all.
WENDY WIGGER is the director of wellness for Priority Health. Reach her at (616) 464-8758 or [email protected].