U-Haul will no longer hire or even interview people who smoke and use e-cigarettes in more than 20 states in a bid to create a ‘healthier workplace’.
The truck and trailer rental company announced on Wednesday that it has approved its new nicotine-free policy, which is set to go into effect February 1.
The policy will apply in 21 states where the company operates and is legally allowed to discriminate against smokers.
Those states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
It is legal in those 21 states for employers to consider tobacco-use when making hiring decisions. Employers in 17 states are also legally allowed to test for nicotine.
U-Haul International has not indicted if it would conduct tests, officials said. Meanwhile, 29 states have laws that protect nicotine-users from being discriminated against for smoking or vaping.
The company employs about 4,000 people in Arizona, where the company is based, and 30,000 across the U.S. and Canada.