Employer Gives $500 Bonus To Workers Who Quit Smoking

As medical costs have soared, some employers have tried various approaches to get smokers to quit. Some have instituted wellness programs that offer support and advice on how to quit; others have made smokers pay higher health premiums. And increasingly, some employers are banning the hiring of smokers altogether.

But a Bakers, Calif. employer came up with what might be the best incentive yet: Econo Air, an air conditioning sales store, offers a $500 bonus to any employee who quits smoking for at least three months, as was first reported by the local ABC news outlet.