Weyco fires 4 employees for refusing smoking test
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Four employees of Okemos-based health benefits administrator Weyco Inc. have been fired for refusing to take a test that would determine whether they smoke cigarettes.

The company instituted a policy on Jan. 1 that makes it a firing offense to smoke -- even if done after business hours or at home, the Lansing State Journal reported Monday.

Weyco founder Howard Weyers said previously that he instituted the tough anti-smoking rule to shield his company from high health care costs.

"I don't want to pay for the results of smoking," he said.

The anti-smoking rule led one employee to quit work before the policy went into place. Since Jan. 1, four more people were shown the door when they balked at the anti-smoking test.

"They were terminated at that point," said Chief Financial Officer Gary Climes.

Thanks for the heads-up on this, Pop.

Wonder if they'll start to fire folks who eat at Burger King for lunch. Open that lunch bag! Is that a Whopper with MAYO??? You're fired!

I can see it now- mandatory weigh-ins, cholesterol checks, fitness tests (on that treadmill, buddy!), and while we are at it, let's run some genetic tests to determine if you are at risk for inherited disease. We don't want to pay for that, either.

How far are we willing to go? Isn't this a form of discrimination?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?