This is regarding “Kick the habit–or get kicked off job; Firm’s policy fuels privacy concerns” (News, Feb. 9). Risking the wrath of every smoker reading this, I feel compelled to champion Weyco Inc., the Michigan company on the cutting edge of promoting healthy lifestyles within the ranks of its employees. While it is hard to defend the actual dismissal of current employees who smoke, I can certainly understand the company’s concern with spiraling health-care costs.
As a former benefits administrator, I often thought it unfair for non-smoking, health-conscious employees to pay the same monthly rates as smokers and others for whom a healthy lifestyle was not a concern. I mean, to buy an individual insurance policy, applicants must provide accurate information about smoking habits, weight and other lifestyle issues so that a proper rate may be established. Why not apply those standards in the workplace?
For instance, to avoid the terminations, Weyco might have required the smokers to contribute a higher premium toward their health insurance. If the law were to stand in the way of this practice, I would think many people paying enormous premiums despite a healthy lifestyle would be happy to pen a bill in defense of this strategy.
As stated in the article, Weyco actively promotes a healthy environment at its office. If its employees have no desire to take advantage of the many incentives to stay healthy, why should the company pay for it?
