Whirlpool Snuffs Smokers
Earlier this week, Whirlpool suspended 39 smokers at its Evansville, Indiana factory for allegedly lying about their tobacco use.
The smokers reportedly signed insurance papers in which they stated that they don’t use tobacco products. When they were spotted lighting up or chewing tobacco on company property, the company took action. The employees were suspended without pay and will present their cases in upcoming “fact-finding meetings” to determine whether they get to keep their jobs.
Whirlpool uses a variety of financial incentives to encourage employees to refrain from tobacco use. In the Evansville factory, for example, tobacco users pay an extra $500 annually in health insurance premiums.
According to a recent Mercer survey, 16 percent of large employers adjust health care premiums based on tobacco use.
(Sources: Associated Press; CNN)
