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Rights & Responsibilities

Tobacco Free Environment - Center City

Purpose

To set forth the policy for maintaining a tobacco-free environment to promote the safety, health, and wellness of all patients, employees, volunteers, faculty members, medical staff, students, vendors, and visitors of Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson University Physicians and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital System. Together, Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson University Physicians and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital System are referred to in this Policy as “Jefferson.”

Scope

The Tobacco-Free Environment Policy applies to all Jefferson patients, visitors, vendors, students, volunteers, medical staff and employees within (1)  fifty (50) feet of the entryway to or exit from any property owned, rented or leased by Jefferson, or (2) fifty (50) feet of driveways, canopies, archways, arcades, and air intakes of any property owned, rented or leased by Jefferson, or (3) the Lubert or Bluemle Plazas (i.e., the entirety of the plaza areas adjacent to the Scott and Hamilton buildings and the Bluemle Life Sciences building), or (4) parking areas owned, rented or leased by Jefferson (including inside employees’ personal vehicles). The areas referred to in this paragraph are also referred to collectively in this Policy as the “Jefferson Campus.”

The Hiring Policy applies to anyone hired on or after July 1, 2014.

Policy

As an academic medical center and leader in the health care community, Jefferson recognizes that smoking is a health hazard. Thus, Jefferson has adopted a policy for the maintenance of a tobacco-free environment and a tobacco-free hiring policy. All tobacco use is prohibited on the Jefferson Campus.

An applicant will be asked to attest that he/she is currently and has been a non-tobacco user for the previous ninety (90) days. 

An applicant may reapply when he/she can truthfully attest that he/she is currently a non-tobacco user and has been a non-tobacco user for the previous ninety (90) days.

Procedure

I.  Definitions

A.   Smoking is defined as the use of or carrying of a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe, or other tobacco product. It means inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigarette, cigar, or pipe.

B.   Tobacco Products/Smoking Material: Refers to all smoke and tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes (including bongs and hookahs), electric cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing, snuff, or dipping tobacco, or any other smoking product determined by Jefferson.

II. Tobacco-Free Environment

A.   Guidelines

  1. Smoking or the use of tobacco products/smoking material is not permitted anywhere on the Jefferson Campus. 
  2. Patients are informed of this policy upon registration, arrival, or as soon thereafter as is reasonably possible.

B.   Notification

  1. Signage prohibiting smoking shall be posted to notify individuals visiting the Jefferson Campus of this Tobacco-Free Environment Policy.
  2. All Jefferson employees, volunteers, faculty members, medical staff and students shall be made aware of and have access to a copy of this policy.
  3. The Department of Human Resources shall advise all job applicants during the application process and remind new employees of this policy during orientation.

C.   Enforcement

  1. All employees, faculty members, and students share in the responsibility of adhering to this policy and ensuring that the policy is enforced. 
  2. Security personnel will be trained on the enforcement of this policy.
  3. Information will be made available about options for smoking cessation to employees who do smoke.
  4. Patients and visitors who are found using tobacco on the Jefferson Campus will be informed of the Tobacco-Free Environment policy and asked to extinguish/remove their tobacco product. Non-employed individuals, such as volunteers, volunteer faculty members or other volunteer members of the medical staff found to have violated this policy may be subject to action up to removal from the Jefferson Campus and/or removal from the medical staff.
  5. Employees observed smoking or using tobacco products/smoking material anywhere on the Jefferson Campus will be in violation of this policy and subject to disciplinary action up to termination.
  6. Students observed smoking or using tobacco products/smoking material anywhere on the Jefferson Campus will be in violation of this policy and subject to disciplinary action up to dismissal.
  7. Retaliation against anyone who acts to support the enforcement of this policy is prohibited and will result in disciplinary action up to termination of employment or dismissal from an academic program. 

III. Hiring Policy

  1. Effective July 1, 2014, Jefferson will not hire tobacco or nicotine product users.
  2. Job applicants will be informed of the policy when applying for a job and will be required to sign an acknowledgement form indicating that they have not been a tobacco user for the previous ninety (90) days and will not use tobacco during their employment. 

An applicant may reapply when he/she can truthfully attest that he/she is currently a non-tobacco user and has been a non-tobacco user for the previous ninety (90) days.