News and Events
Valentine Pool Service Celebrates the Great American Smoke Out by Creating a Tobacco Free Workplace
November 21, 2014
The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County has been increasingly busy this quarter with employer cessation activities. Between one employer going 100% Tobacco Free and the Great American Smoke Out, this quarter has seen much success!
On November 6, 2014, Community Health Advocate, Amanda John, met with Denise Valentine at Valentine Pool Service and conducted an ECC Employer Interview to access their employee cessation benefits. This is a very small employer, with 8 employees, and of those 4 employees smoke. Valentine expressed her concern with smoking because she was a previous smoker and after several cessation attempts was finally able to quit.
Since she started the business Valentine has allowed smoking in company vehicles, on customer property and outside the office and admitted that it has been hard to take that away after allowing it for so long. However, during the meeting was convinced this is what she needed to do. Valentine decided that as of December 1, 2014, employees will no longer be able to smoke while on the job, nor will they be provided smoke breaks. Valentine states, “My employees may not be very happy with me at first, but I hope this change will spark their interest and push them towards a healthier lifestyle.
Valentine even decided to participate in the Great American Smoke Out on November 20th. She set up a table at the office with smoking cessation materials including, brochures, flyers, posters and tobacco cessation resources. The employer also announced Great American Smoke Out efforts and promoted the BTFF's Three Ways to Quit, by printing this information on the bottom of employee pay stubs.
“I am so excited to have been part of the change at Valentine Pool Service and am really looking forward to checking in next quarter to see how well this is working out for them. I also look forward to the continued relationship between Valentine Pool Service and the Tobacco Free Partnership,” said Amanda John, Community Health Advocate with Quit Doc Research and Education Foundation.
For more information on creating a tobacco-free workplace, or providing tobacco cessation services for employees, contact Amanda John at ajohn@quitdoc.com.
