Sparrow Hospital in Lansing is changing a near decade-old policy prohibiting the hiring of applicants who test positive for nicotine.
Instead of requiring applicants to pass a test showing that they don’t use tobacco, Sparrow Health System will now consider hiring tobacco users who agree to participate in a four-week cessation program.
Sherry Pfaff-Doody is Director of Talent Acquisition at Sparrow. She says there are openings at all levels…not just doctors and nurses, but also areas like food service and phlebotomy.
“With all of the COVID testing that has gone on, everything within our lab, there is a position open in every area.”
Pfaff-Doody says Sparrow hasn’t turned many people away for failing the nicotine test over the years, but there’s no way to know how many people chose not to apply because of the test requirement.
The new policy takes immediate effect.