No More Smoke Breaks?

Most folks know that getting a county job means you're in good hands. "We don't tend to lose a lot of workforce, people just grow old with us. You get a job with the county and you never leave,"Said District 1 Escambia County Commissioner Mike Whitehead. But while the economy is changing, the Escambia County Commission says, so is the way they plan to run their workforce. "We're facing like every other major organization huge increases in our insurance expenses for our employees. and what we've come across, and it's something that a lot of companies are doing we're going to a smoke free campus, you're not going to be able to smoke in or around the county building, if you're an employee," Said Whitehead. But the ban comes with incentives. "Any employee that agrees to random testing we'll give them a five percent discount on their health insurance premiums. And the logic there is if you're leading a healthy lifestyle, you shouldn't have to subsidize people who aren't,"Said the District 1 County Commissioner.
Jim Howes manages the recycling department with the county. He says although he quit smoking years ago, he supports the smoking ban. "I feel for the smokers, they're going to need to deal with the change, because this is a policy that's happening nationwide. I mean it's something we're all going to have to get used to,"Said Howes. While Howes' co-worker Ronny Johnson says he isn't sold on the idea. "That might be a little bit much right there you know, if people want to smoke at home they should be able to,"Said Johnson.

Escambia County Commissioner Mike Whitehead says the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of a preliminary proposal yesterday.
The board will decide next Thursday if they plan to approve the smoking ban. But if it is, Commissioner Whitehead says it will go into effect October 1st.