$mokers pay the price (company fines employees $1200/year) [View All]

[Newsjock]

Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

By Michael Mayo
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

So much for the old stereotype of a fedora-wearing reporter pounding out copy on deadline, cigarette dangling from his mouth. Or the days of sportswriter Oscar Madison chomping on his cheap stogie.

Starting next year, employees of my company will have to pay a $100 per month fee (that’s $1,200 per year) if they smoke. Or if anyone in their family who gets health insurance from the company smokes.

... I don’t smoke, and neither does my wife or 22-month-old daughter, but I was completely shocked when I got the letter yesterday from Tribune Company (corporate parent of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel) outlining the changes to our 2008 health plans.

Read more: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/mayo/blog/2007/10/mokers_pay_the_price.html