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Possible Ohio bill may allow employers to ask "Smoker or non-smoker?"

123 views · Published 26 November 2018 · 2:41 · Indexed 2 October 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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COVINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) - Proposed changes for a law that impacts smokers is getting some support from locals.

Several months ago, a business owner in Covington named Brent Cooper spoke up about smokers being a protected class.  He meant that, in a business setting, an employer cannot ask whether or not someone is a smoker and companies can't refuse to hire someone if they are. It's on the same level as race or religion.

Now that Cooper is president of the Chamber of Commerce in northern Kentucky, he's sharing more about why he thinks the health of the community depends on lifting the protection.

"It does come down to what we value in our community. Smoking is killing our state, and to elevate it to the same level of race and religion, that doesn't make sense to the business community," Cooper said.

"Our state senator John Schickel has pre-filed a bill that would come up in this session that would eliminate smokers as a protected class so we can, as employers, be able to ask if someone is a smoker before we hire them," Cooper said. "There's an Ohio State study that says a smoker costs $6,000 a year in insurance cost, lost wages, productivity and so forth. So we believe it's reasonable for businesses to be able to ask people if they smoke. All things being equal, it's something to consider."

Ohio is one state that does not list smokers as a protected class.

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