Podcast Summary
Companies save $4,000 annually per employee by not hiring smokers: Companies save significant costs by not hiring smokers, leading to a trend towards smoke-free workplaces, particularly in healthcare.
More and more companies, including Alaska Airlines, are refusing to hire smokers due to increased healthcare costs and the desire to create healthier workplaces. This policy, which has been in place for several years, saves companies approximately $4,000 per employee annually in healthcare and productivity costs. Smoking is still legal, but the financial and health-related consequences for individuals and employers make it a less desirable trait for those seeking employment. The trend towards smoke-free workplaces is becoming increasingly common, particularly in the healthcare industry.
Divide Among States on Hiring Smokers: While some states ban hiring discrimination against smokers, others allow it, disproportionately impacting low-income individuals and adding ethical complexity to hiring practices.
There is a significant divide among states regarding the legality of companies refusing to hire smokers. While 29 states prohibit such discrimination, the remaining 21 allow it. Bioethicist and professor Zeke Emanuel, who is against smoking, argues that refusing to hire smokers is discriminatory because most smokers want to quit but find it difficult to do so. This issue disproportionately affects low-income individuals, who are more likely to smoke and face employment barriers as a result. Smoking, being a legal but socially stigmatized behavior, adds complexity to the ethical dilemma of hiring practices.
Employers may favor healthier employees to reduce costs: Employers may prefer hiring individuals with healthier lifestyles to minimize costs, potentially impacting those with risky behaviors like smoking or having children.
As the labor market becomes more competitive and healthcare costs continue to rise, employers may be less willing to hire individuals with risky behaviors or high healthcare costs, such as smokers. This trend could potentially extend to other expensive or risky lifestyle choices, like having children. The incentive to secure a job could potentially outweigh the desire to engage in these behaviors, but it's unclear how effective this will be. The future of employment may hinge on individuals making healthier choices to reduce their overall cost to employers. Additionally, the Freakonomics Radio podcast will be answering listener questions in an upcoming episode. One question posed was whether it's safe to sneeze with your eyes open. Stay tuned for the answer.
