"Where There's Smoke, People Are Getting Fired," HR Daily Advisor
In this article rehashing Miracle Gro's decision to terminate a smoking employee due to increased health costs, Littler's Lisa Chagala and Steve Friedman offer less drastic options for employers facing increasing healthcare fees. They note that it's possible to reward employees in the form of lower health insurance premiums for nonsmokers. "HIPAA provides an exception by permitting wellness programs," write Friedman and Chagala, "provided that certain requirements are met." Chagala and Friedman note the requirements, and and discuss reasonable alternatives.
