Howard Wires is a health nut. He's 71 years old, but he still lift heavy weights one day he decided his employees should be healthy, too. Good afternoon, Michael. Wires runs this health care benefits company in Michigan. Two years ago, we hired an in-house private trainer. Three Make sure you're breathing or any employee who goes to see her and then meet certain exercise goals, as this woman did, can earn 110 dollar bonus per month. She thinks it's great. He wants to help us be as healthy as we can. I want to be a good influence on my employees. But then he went further aware that each employee who smoked could cost his health benefits company hundreds of dollars a year more in medical costs and absenteeism. He shot his staff with this announcement. But I want to tell you that I'm introducing a talking about you're not going to smoke if you work here. 

No smoking at work or anywhere, even at home. He would do random tests and fire anyone with nicotine in their system, meaning no patch, no gum. You had to either then completely, you know, just healed from tobacco or you're not working at Icko. Anita Eppolito and some other workers were furious that day when the wires gave them a 15 month deadline you had for the end of next year to quit. Or you're probably

the one in the audience. You know, they were shocked.

And I just let them attack me at 200 people in a room and they went and made me laugh. And I'm law. I can do it. And here in Michigan, he can. In 20 states, employers can fire anyone for any reason except for things like age, gender, race or disabilities. I think I work at Weikel. Before the ban, 24 employees smoked. Most soon stopped twenty at twenty four. Good to have some, like Chris Boyd, a grateful that wire's pressured them to quit. And I'm glad I did. It was the best thing I could have ever done. But the four employees who didn't quit were fired and they are angry. I did my job an excellent job for this man and he became a God in his own mind. And that's wrong. That's wrong. Mark, I'm not playing God said wires, just helping people become healthy. He's even put a scale in front of the cafeteria vending machine, a stock that with alternatives to junk food. I pay for weight management. I pay for nutrition counseling, smoking cessation. I pay for all those things. So what I say is credit activist groups like the one that made this ad compare the policy to totalitarianism. They say a company has no right to fire you for what you do on your own time.

So you think I'd say give me a break to Howard, why, after all, he's stopping his employees from smoking everywhere, even when they're not on the job. And I've often said, give me a break to those busybody politicians who are banning smoking in every bar and every restaurant in their state. But there's a difference between government smoking bans and Howard wires setting one. When government bans something, it bans it for everybody. It's why the Bill of Rights limits government power. But Waco's just one company. No one has to work here. I've got the Lansing want ads here. There are lots of jobs, but are they fifteen, twenty dollars an hour paying jobs or are you guaranteed that? Well, no. I want to make what Weyco did illegal in Michigan. We can still this state legislator was quick to say he'll solve the problem. This Wednesday he'll introduce a bill that would prohibit employers from firing anyone for legal behavior. They do it all today. It's smoking. What's it going to be tomorrow that you got to lose a certain number of pounds, you know, in order to keep your job? There are lots of employers that might hire these women. This one employer says, I don't want this, but we have decided as a society that you can't discriminate on race, on gender, you know, pregnant smoking. Now, we'll have an analogy for smoking. Well, hopefully we'll have an amendment for legal activities, for privacy outside the workplace, because this goes too far. I'm just thrown out because this person decided one day this is what he wanted to do. But he built the company, doesn't he? And an employee doesn't. I didn't do anything to improve that company. That means you own your job. No, no, no. I meant there's a one. There's like a there's a relationship there. Anita need is now collecting unemployment. Carra Stiffler is working as a file clerk. You found another job. Yes, I did. Which I'm very happy with. Everybody there is very supportive. You're in a better situation. I had to give up my health insurance for my children, but I want my children to see that I stood up for my rights as an American. That's what that's what the men are over fighting in Iraq for is my freedom. Fighting for freedom is one thing, but freedom doesn't mean you own your job. Give me a break.

 

Video

 

https://youtu.be/umJUJq_3wrE

After watching each video, what are your reactions to the concepts you just learned?

2. What are your overall feelings about wellness plans? While most may have good intentions, do some go too far (address the policy highlighted in the video)? Note: you may have already seen this, but there are stories out there of employers giving Fitbit watches to employees and tracking their exercise habits.
4. Does your employer offer a 125 plan?
   2. If so, share your experiences with the class about how it has worked for you.
   4. If not, would you like to be offered this benefit? Why or why not?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

After watching the video and considering the concepts presented my reactions are mixed While I appre... View the full answer