How much money do smokers costs employers?

Smoking is dangerous, we have heard that for years, yet millions of Americans continue to smoke despite all the serious health consequences. Smoking raises health insurance costs, life insurance costs, rental and home insurance costs, car insurance costs, and even dental insurance costs. So with all of the additional amount people will pay for smoking, why do they do it? One of the main reasons why is because they are addicted to it. Nicotine and other chemicals found in cigarettes will addict people to the point that they cannot survive without it.

How much money does smoking cost employers? Recent figures have pointed to roughly $13 billion dollars a year in lost production costs, sick leave benefits, and health care costs. To combat the costs, some employers actually penalize their employees that smoke because they put the whole company into a higher risk pool, which has higher insurance rates. It is not fair for the employees that do not smoke, that are in good health to pay the same amount of money as the employees that are causing the health insurance costs to increase. People that smoke have a shorter life expectancy, by at least 7 years. Since they have a shorter life expectancy, life insurance companies will have a harder time insuring them because they are worried that they will die suddenly from complications related to smoking.

Businesses have the right to fire an employee that has lied about smoking on their health insurance coverage forms. Employers also have the right to decline employment to people that smoke. The reason why so many businesses are against smokers is not only because of the health insurance costs, but also because smokers take about 8 more sick days annually from healthy employees that do not smoke. The cost of sick leave alone will cause an employer to lose thousands of dollars on lost production costs and wages.

Employers are forced to find other employees to cover their shifts when smokers call in sick for the day. If they cannot find another person to cover, they will need to take time away from their job to step into their role or they may need to ask other employees to fill in while they perform their job duties. If you have your healthier employees constantly pulling the extra weight of the smokers, it will start to wear on them and before you know it you will lose the healthy employees as well.

Home insurance companies will also charge you larger premiums if you are a smoker. The reason for this is because of the risk of a fire being started in your home due to a cigarette. This money will also be charged to your employer if they need to insure the building. If you quit smoking, they won't need to purchase as much coverage because the accident risk will be lower.

People that smoke also have increased dental problems. Normally people that smoke have yellow teeth because they have been stained from the smoke. People that smoke also have an increased risk of oral cancer and throat cancer. Smoking causes you to inhale several acids and chemicals, these harmful toxins pass right through your mouth and they start to break down the enamel on your teeth. As the enamel breaks down, your teeth are vulnerable to cavities and other tooth problems. Smokers also have problems with mouth sores and bleeding lips.

The cost of smoking really isn't worth it. Employers are paying about $3,400 extra for each employee that smokes. While this amount may not be a lot to larger companies, this can really hurt smaller companies that are trying to stay in business.