smoking

Smokers need not apply: can Ontario employers refuse to hire nicotine users?

February 14, 2020 Vey Willetts LLP Employee Relations, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Recruiting and Hiring, 0

As of February 1, 2020, U-Haul no longer hires nicotine users in 21 of the US states in which it operates. The company, which employs over 30,000 people across the US and Canada, announced this new policy late last year. While it may be easy to understand U-Haul’s stated rationale for introducing this anti-tobacco policy, to adopt the same in Ontario would likely expose the company to liability.

discrimination in employment, employment application, employment law, health, human rights code, nicotine users, smoking, tobacco use disorder

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

November 8, 2018 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Wages and Compensation

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with maximum pensionable earnings and Canada Pension Plan contribution rates for 2019, smoking and vaping signage and fringe benefits.

canada pension plan, compressed workweek, cpp, employment law, flexible work schedules, required postings, smoking, telecommuting, Vaping

Can employers in Canada refuse to hire smokers?

June 17, 2013 Simon Heath, BA, MIR, LLB, Heath Law Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring

Recently, an Ottawa-based tech company called Momentous Corp. has attracted national attention because it implemented a blanket policy against hiring smokers and advertises that it will hire non-smokers only. In order to reduce its health costs, Momentous prohibits the hiring of or allowing any smoking on its property during working hours…

Absenteeism, addiction, Disability, discrimination based on disability, employment law, hiring smokers, increased insurance costs, lost productivity, nicotine addiction, non-smokers, smoking, smoking ban, smoking during work hours, tobacco