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Chris B. · 06-06-2012, 01:52 PM

I've seen this discussion on other forums and on Facebook multiple times. This image started the most recent one:

I have seen over the past 5 years many hospitals not hiring smokers for new employees. They can legally do this because smokers are not a protected class of people such as minorities, people with disabilities, pregnant women, etc....

There are also financial reasons for this. Many health insurance companies charge less for non smokers, so that saves the hospital money. Also, you don't have lost productivity due to smoke breaks. In addition to that, several long term studies have shown that non smokers take less sick days than smokers.

One study in Sweden basically said on average, smokers take one more week of sick time per year than non smokers. People who were former smokers took no more sick days than people who never smoked after they had quit smoking. Also the study in Sweden and another study said that smokers have lower than average work performance, possibly due to the smoke breaks.

Another study of US Navy personnel said:
"Compared with never-smokers, daily smokers at entry into the U.S. Navy had subsequent career outcomes consistently indicating poorer job performance (e.g., early attrition prior to serving a full-term enlistment, more likely to have a less-than-honorable discharge, more demotions and desertions, lower achieved pay-grade and less likely to re-enlist),"

Another study found that smokers not only take more sick days than non smokers, they also have higher medical costs than non smokers over their lifetime.

I'm sure someone will reply with an example like, "My grandmother worked up until the day she died at 91 years old and she started smoking when she was 5 and smoked until the day she died and she never missed a day of work." Yes there are exceptions and extremely rare cases to contradict everything, but those are the exception and not common.

So what do you think about hospitals and other companies not hiring smokers? What do you think about smokers being charged more for health insurance?

06-06-2012, 01:52 PM	#1
Chris B. Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Lehigh Valley Member #14208 My Ride: is Sonic Blue iTrader: (0)	What do you think about companies not hiring smokers? I've seen this discussion on other forums and on Facebook multiple times. This image started the most recent one: I have seen over the past 5 years many hospitals not hiring smokers for new employees. They can legally do this because smokers are not a protected class of people such as minorities, people with disabilities, pregnant women, etc.... There are also financial reasons for this. Many health insurance companies charge less for non smokers, so that saves the hospital money. Also, you don't have lost productivity due to smoke breaks. In addition to that, several long term studies have shown that non smokers take less sick days than smokers. One study in Sweden basically said on average, smokers take one more week of sick time per year than non smokers. People who were former smokers took no more sick days than people who never smoked after they had quit smoking. Also the study in Sweden and another study said that smokers have lower than average work performance, possibly due to the smoke breaks. Another study of US Navy personnel said: "Compared with never-smokers, daily smokers at entry into the U.S. Navy had subsequent career outcomes consistently indicating poorer job performance (e.g., early attrition prior to serving a full-term enlistment, more likely to have a less-than-honorable discharge, more demotions and desertions, lower achieved pay-grade and less likely to re-enlist)," Another study found that smokers not only take more sick days than non smokers, they also have higher medical costs than non smokers over their lifetime. I'm sure someone will reply with an example like, "My grandmother worked up until the day she died at 91 years old and she started smoking when she was 5 and smoked until the day she died and she never missed a day of work." Yes there are exceptions and extremely rare cases to contradict everything, but those are the exception and not common. So what do you think about hospitals and other companies not hiring smokers? What do you think about smokers being charged more for health insurance? __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.