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On Jan. 1, all of Weyco Inc.'s 200 employees will be nonsmokers - or lose their jobs.
On that day, the Okemos-based insurance benefits administrator will make it a fireable offense to smoke anywhere, anytime - including in the privacy of an employee's own home after business hours.
"You can do whatever you want, but if you're going to work here, you can't be a smoker, like you can't be a drug user," owner Howard Weyers said.
It's a move sure to spark controversy in a state where nearly 26 percent of all adults smoke.
Nonsmokers who support the policy say it will pare health care costs and improve employees' lives.
"I think it's great. The intent of the policy is to help employees become healthier," said Mari Damerow, a benefits manager for Weyco.
Smokers say it tramples their rights and invades their privacy.
"I think it's pretty stupid," said Cooley Law School student Cal Eustaquio, 42, as he puffed on a torpedo cigar at the Creole Cigar Factory in downtown Lansing. "If other companies go the same way, smokers will be marginalized to the point they go underground."
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My company does the $150-a-month smoker surcharge. All that did was create a new class of liar. No one 'fessed up, I don't think, even though the same ones always take smoke breaks.
Stupid.
Let's charge the heterosexuals more per month because they might spawn. Let's make the old ones pay more because, well, they're old. Let's make the young ones pay more because they're reckless. Meh. Greed. Greed on the part of the insurance and medical industries. Companies are coping with the rising costs best they can - sometimes making dumb decisions as they do.