Healthy Habits And The Bottom Line - Scotts Miracle Grow...Again!

(CBS) It's lunchtime at the Scotts Miracle-Gro headquarters near Columbus, Ohio, and the eating is healthy.

"I'll have some salmon," a worker said.

That's because the company that helps Americans grow their gardens is trying to trim its workers waists — and $24 million pear year in health care costs.

So there's a full time doctor and a new clinic, which is free to workers and families enrolled in the company medical plan. There is a drive through pharmacy with generic drugs — and right next door: the new gym. It's also free to those who work out more than twice a week. Otherwise, it's just ten dollars a month.

Presiding over this $5 million gamble is CEO Jim Hagedorn.

"It's partly about money and keeping our costs under control," Hagedorn told CBS News correspondent Jerry Bowen. "And it's partly about saying, 'Why would you wanna work a whole career here at Scotts, retire and die?'"

It all sounds so good — and if it works it may become the national model for curbing corporate health care costs. But it's a carrot and stick approach.

The stick is what happens to smokers. If they won't quit, they won't have a job at Scotts.

Thirty percent of Scotts' 5,300 U.S. workers smoke. And it's estimated that smokers cost an extra $4,000 a year each for health care and lost productivity. Scotts has already banned smoking on the job. Next October, workers must stop altogether.

Employee Kim Creviston is a pack-a-day smoker.

"You're drawing the line here," Creviston said. "But he is giving you a choice. If you choose not to quit, then you choose to get a different job. And I truly believe that we will forsee other companies doing this."

And that worries employment law attorney Marvin Gittler: "Once you leave, once you conclude your eight hours, frankly it's none of the employer's business what you do," Gittler said. "I think letting the employer go beyond those eight hours is much too dangerous."

Hagedorn, once a two-pack-a-day smoker, quit after his mother died of lung cancer. He says workers will get help to stop. And as long as they really try, they won't be fired, which they can be in Ohio and 19 other states.

In states where they can't be fired because of smokers' rights laws, they'll pay extra for health insurance.

"This is not trying to take things away from folks," Hagedorn said. "This is about trying to keep our costs so that they're not rising sort of in excess of the rate of inflation. And I think we can do that if we run our wellness programs properly."

Change is never easy, but it's the new reality for these workers. And if it works, everybody's bottom line will look better.

Thirty percent of Scotts' 5,300 U.S. workers smoke. And it's estimated that smokers cost an extra $4,000 a year each for health care and lost productivity.

They did away with their employees that smoke. Now they are going after the fat employees!

That's because the company that helps Americans grow their gardens is trying to trim its workers waists — and $24 million pear year in health care costs.

The National Business Group on Health estimates that each smoker c osts employers $3,856 a year in added health-care costs and lost productivity.

So, overweight employees cost more in health care then smokers?!

The following is the thread that tells how they are doing away with employees that smoke. Who runs this company? Hitler???

Scotts Miracle-Gro plan to fire smokers

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Beginning next October, smoking will be significantly more expensive for employees of Scotts Miracle-Gro Co.

Lighting up, even at home, will cost them their jobs.

Hysterically funny!

Pouring all those chemicals on the ground and running into the estuaries to grow someone's grass around their McMansion and barking about a healthy workforce.

Or work farce....

Jim Hedgedorn IS a big joke! I sure am thankful I do not work there. I sure hope that stink doesn't rub off to other corporations!

He is another one that talks out of both sides of his mouth. Chemicals in ground = good. Smokers and fat people = bad.

He needs to move out of the Country the putz!

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