The Associated Press
PENSACOLA, Fla. —
Escambia County will have a tobacco-free hiring policy starting in October.
All applicants for county jobs are currently required to take a drug test, which will be expanded to include testing for tobacco use. Any applicant testing positive for tobacco will not be eligible.
Officials say the policy is aimed at improving the health of employees and to get the county’s health insurance costs under control. It’s one of several policies county commissioners approved this week.
The county also is enacting a 50-foot smoking ban from the entrance or exit of any county building on Oct. 1. In two years, no county employee will be allowed to smoke anywhere on county property.