St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network, the Lehigh Valley's 2nd largest employer, has announced a new policy making smokers ineligible for employment.
Under the new rule, anyone applying for any job will have to submit to a urine test, if the results come back positive for nicotine St. Luke's will not hire you.
And hospital officials say the well being of their workforce is only part of the reason why.
"We're also looking at ways to reduce some of our expenses the same as probably every company in this country finding ways to control costs."
Zimmel, St. Luke's Senior Vice President of Human Resources, cited national studies indicating employers lose money on smokers through increased health care costs and productivity loss during cigarette breaks.
Zimmel admits the decision could open the hospital to discrimination lawsuits. But legal experts say discrimination laws are only designed to cover so-called protected groups.
"Sex, nationality, race those sorts of things that our society has determined that are protected smoking is not a protected class," explained attorney Gary Asteak.
And Pennsylvania is one of only 20 states in the country where anti-nicotine hiring practices are legal.
Some of the people Action News spoke to outside St. Luke's applaud the new rule but most said they believe this goes a little too far.
"I think we're getting a little crazy in this country," said David Rudy.
"As long as they're doing it in their own area, smoker's area, it's their right to choose," said Matt Moyer.
Smokers who already work for St. Luke's will not be affected by the policy.
The new non-nicotine hiring practice officially begins May 1st .
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Information from: The Morning Call
