Editor’s Note: This is an update of a column that originally ran in the Press in January 2007.

I see them out there every day. You’ve probably seen them, too. They’re the tight little tribe of smokers who routinely leave the building to participate in their enjoyment of a cigarette.
In New York State, job seekers and employed people must comply with New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act amended Article 13-E of the New York Public Health Law, which became effective July 2003. The law bans smoking in virtually all indoor areas statewide and was designed to limit non-smokers’ exposure to second-hand smoke.

So, the question for consideration: Is smoking hazardous to your career? Since the law went into effect, more companies have adopted smoking policies and/or corporate wellness programs to help employees kick the habit. Still, there remains a highly emotional debate over smoker versus non-smoker rights. In my informal survey of about 40 tenants of the fairly large Melville office building in which I work, smokers seemed resigned to their allocation of smoking space near the building’s entrance. A few mentioned colleagues’ resentment of their frequent nicotine breaks, but felt that the habit did not jeopardize their performance and productivity. Non-smokers said that they do not take anywhere nearly the same amount of breaks as their smoking colleagues and that they are frequently offended by the stench of cigarette smoke that follows co-workers into their cubicles, or mingles with their coats in the coat closet.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts a $3,391 yearly price tag on each employee who smokes. This breaks out to $1,760 in lost productivity and $1,623 in excess medical expenses. Furthermore, the cost of secondhand smoke on non-smokers can add up to $490 per smoker per year. It also reports that smokers miss an average of 6.16 days of work annually due to illness (including smoking-related and chronic conditions) compared to non-smokers, who miss 3.86 sick days per year.

The American Lung Association reports that 18 states—including New York, New Jersey and neighboring New England states—have passed comprehensive smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars. According to Joel A. Klarreich, a partner specializing in staffing and employment law at the Manhattan-based law firm Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschritt LLP, “Under New York State law, it is impermissible to discriminate against workers for lawful activities away from the job.” Continues Klarreich, “Since smoking is lawful, unless it can be shown that smoking adversely affects job performance or the safety of other employees, the inquiry and refusal to hire would be unlawful.”

If you smoke and are interviewing for a position, consider these tips to maximize your candidacy.
• Stay smoke-free two hours before the interview.
• Watch for nicotine stains on fingers and teeth. Do damage control as needed.
• Make sure your wardrobe smells fresh and smoke-free. Take your interview attire fresh from the laundry or dry cleaner.
• Resist the urge to calm interview jitters with a cigarette.

Perhaps one of the best motivations for remaining cigarette free is this one from www.moneycentral.msn.com: “A 40-year-old [one] pack-a-day smoker who quits and puts the savings into a 401(k) earning 9 percent will have $250,000 by age 70.”

Nancy Schuman is a vice president at Lloyd Staffing, headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and is the author of seven how-to books on career guidance and job-search techniques. Lloyd Staffing offers temporary, contract and full-time employment services on a regional and national basis. Send your career-related questions to: jobadvice@Lloydstaffing.com.