December 1, 2010

Contact:  Bonnie Zimmerman

Director, Marketing and Physician Services

Florida Hospital Waterman

1000 Waterman Way

Tavares, FL  32778

(352) 253-3442

For Immediate Release

Florida Hospital Waterman encourages the community to model health behaviors.

Tavares, FL:  As a leading healthcare provider in Lake County, Florida Hospital Waterman believes it is important to model healthy behaviors.  The hospital was the first major employer in the community to implement a tobacco-free campus in 2007. 

Effective January 1, 2011, Florida Hospital Waterman will take another step toward building a healthier community by implementing a hiring policy that prohibits tobacco use by all new employees.

Under the new policy, applicants being considered for employment will be tested for nicotine use as part of their regular pre-employment drug screening.  Those who are identified as tobacco users will be ineligible for employment, but may reapply in six months.

The policy will not apply to current employees, auxilians, or physicians. 

For more information about the tobacco-free hiring policy, please contact Human Resources at 352.253.3337.

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