Thirty-nine employees of Whirlpool Corp.’s Evansville, Indiana, manufacturing
plant have been suspended for lying about their smoking habits.
The employees had claimed to be nonsmokers to avoid paying a $500 annual
surcharge Whirlpool has assessed on smokers who are enrolled in the company’s
health benefits plan, a company spokesman confirmed.
However, other employees reported seeing the alleged nonsmokers lighting up
in designated smoking areas outside the plant, the Benton Harbor, Michigan-based
manufacturer reported.
Filed by Joanne Wojcik of Business Insurance, a sister publication of
Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.
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