Lighting Up Can Get You Fired

A healthcare benefits company recently fired four of its employees for refusing to take a test that determines whether they smoke cigarettes. While it’s common practice these days to ban smoking in the office, Michigan-based Weyco Inc. is banning its employees from smoking -- period. Citing concerns over rising healthcare costs, the organization justifies its move to fire all employees if they smoke, whether on the job or on their own time.

I don’t smoke, and I feel sick around people who do. I used to work for a European company in which the executive-level employees would smoke freely around the office. It made for a stomach-turning work environment; eventually, a bunch of us peanut-gallery dwellers spoke up and convinced the company to get these folks to restrict their smoking to the quarters of their private offices.

While I agree with having people refrain from smoking at work, where the health of others would be jeopardized, I wouldn’t condone a move to fire anyone who smokes on his own time, on principle. If companies fear the long-term healthcare costs associated with employees who smoke, they should take a look at other behavioral patterns that may lead to the same financial outcome. For instance, why not look at an employee’s traffic violations? Doctor visits? Sleep patterns? Eating habits? (Gasp. I would be in trouble for that last one).

Firing someone because she chooses to smoke on her own time (as bad as this habit can be) is a borderline autocratic move by an employer. As long as that person’s habit does not infringe on another employee’s human (or work-related) rights, the company shouldn’t intervene. And as to rising costs, there are numerous other factors that lead to expensive health care.

Take stress, for instance. According to this article, the American Institute of Stress estimates the cost of workplace stress to employers at more than $300 billion each year.

Perhaps employers should worry more about alleviating stress for their employees than making headlines by patrolling for smokers. Ironically, moreover, employees may stop lighting up if they feel less overwhelmed.

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