Programs such as exercise, diet, blood pressure control, and smoking cessation can be found in nearly all organizations that offer such assistance to employees. Rather than assist employees in preventing such difficulties, many organizations are deciding to not hire smokers and individuals who are obese because of the increased risk of health issues. As long as obesity is not attributable to a disability (which would be a potential EEO violation), the organization has every right to do so. Only a few states protect the rights of smokers in regard to employment, and smokers may be charged higher insurance premiums in any state.

Statistics show that the smokers and the obese have greater health problems, which increase the cost of health insurance, workers ’ compensation, and other expenses. Whirlpool Corp. suspended 39 smokers for claiming on their benefits enrollment form that they were nonsmokers to avoid a $500 annual tobacco‐use surcharge on their health insurance premium. Scott ’ s Miracle Gro prohibits smoking by employees and fires those who fail random tests for nicotine.

Discrimination against the obese is much more subtle than the policies against smokers. Research at the University of Hawaii has found that in the absence of policies against hiring the obese, overweight people are discriminated against in the hiring process because employers are concerned about insurance costs and future health conditions as well as the perception that they may have physical limitations that would limit their ability to do their job. 38 Research seems to indicate that the perceptions may be true. Obesity is costing U.S. corporations more than $13 billion annually and results in more than 50 million lost productive days at work. 

Ethical questions: 

What ’ s your feeling on this issue? Should employers be allowed to “discriminate” against smokers and the obese? Why or why not?