Offering discounts on health insurance is one more way Richards Industries encourages employees to adopt healthy, tobacco-free lifestyles.

When Richards Industries, a manufacturing company in Cincinnati with more than 100 employees, renews its health insurance policy this summer, employees who don't use tobacco stand to save some cash. That's because the company is strongly considering offering a discount on premiums to tobacco-free workers.

"At this point, we're still finalizing how the discount will work and whether we will be testing employees for tobacco use. But we are committed to showing our support for employees who make smart health decisions," explains Vice President of Human Resources, Cheryl Koopman.

The company will likely increase the percentage of the health insurance premium it pays for employees who don't use tobacco, resulting in a monthly savings for these employees.

"Statistics show that tobacco users are absent from work more often due to illness and that they're more likely to go to the doctor, which can affect the costs of health insurance for a company and its employees," says Koopman. "Providing the discounts will help reward employees who are taking charge of their own health. Hopefully it will also serve as another incentive for tobacco-users to quit so that they can improve their health as well."

The new insurance discounts are not Richards Industries' first attempt to reduce employee tobacco use. In June 2006, months before Ohio's Smoke-Free Workplace Act went into effect, the company implemented a policy that prohibited smoking in all Richards Industries buildings and facilities and restricted the use of smokeless tobacco products. Employees who want to quit can receive free cessation assistance, including reimbursement for nicotine patches and gum. In addition, the company will be offering lunch and learn seminars on a variety of wellness topics and will be raffling off a prize for employees who complete an online health assessment.

"The new policy and the cessation services have already served as the incentive to help a couple of our employees quit smoking. I've had smokers come up and say thanks for doing this," says Koopman. "Now we're really focusing on what we can do in terms of prevention and improving overall wellness. By adding the insurance discounts, we hope we can encourage even more employees get serious about making a positive change in their lives."

For more information about Richards Industries' efforts to create a healthier workforce, contact Cheryl Koopman at ckoopman@richardsind.com.

Click here to learn more about incorporating health insurance surcharges or discounts in your company's tobacco policy. Or click here to read how other employers are successfully addressing tobacco in the workplace.