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PHOENIX (AP) — U-Haul International has announced plans to stop interviewing and hiring nicotine users, including people who use e-cigarettes and vaping products.
The well-known truck and trailer rental company approved the nicotine-free policy set to go into effect Feb. 1 in more than 20 states where the company operates, the Arizona Republic reported Wednesday.
Those states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
People hired before the policy goes into effect won’t be affected, company officials said.
U-Haul International employs around 4,000 people in Arizona, where the company is based, and 30,000 across the U.S. and Canada, officials said.
In each of the 21 states, it is legal not to hire people who use nicotine, company officials said. Employers in 17 states are also legally allowed to test for nicotine, officials said.
U-Haul International has not indicted if it would conduct tests, officials said.
The company expects the nicotine-free hiring policy would help create a more healthy corporate culture, officials said. The new policy will focus on the health of team members and employees, while also decreasing healthcare costs, company officials said.
Company executives encourage employees not to use nicotine by waiving a required wellness fee, officials said. The company doesn’t require tobacco users to pay a health care insurance premium, the Republic reported.
The company said it has made strides to encourage health and wellness including breaking ground on a new conference and fitness center in Arizona and implementing various employee fitness and wellness programs.
Some hospitals and other health businesses have implemented no-nicotine hiring policies, company officials said.
Alaska Airlines has had the policy since 1985 to address health-care costs and health consequences, officials said. In addition, the airline has expressed the difficulty of smoking on planes and in places surrounding airports, officials said.
Its about time to hold these nicotine addicts to their bad health behavior that everyone else, especially those who do not smoke pay higher medical coverage, just because of lazy bad attitude workers including the obese who eat too much and all the associated health issues.
Also, these smokers who take regular 10-15 minute breaks to inhale tobacco usually end up do less work than their fellow co workers who do not smoke, yet they get a free hour for slacking off, while others carry their load. They should be made to work another extra hour to make up for lost time.