Copyright © by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. 1 Supplemental Digital Appendix 1
Interview Guide for Companies that Do Not Hire Smokers, Used With Executives Identified as Being Responsible for or Most Knowledgeable About the Policy
When did [name of business] stop hiring smokers? At that time, was [name of business]
unique in adopting that policy, or had other businesses already done so? How did you become aware of that? Did they receive any media coverage? What was the coverage like? Do you think that the action of the other businesses played a role in [name of business’s] decision to stop hiring smokers?
How did the idea for a smoker-free workplace develop? Who was involved in the decision? Did a particular person champion the idea? Why? How long had that person been working there? How long had the business owners/managers been in those roles when the decision to stop hiring smokers was made? How did you first learn about the idea? How are these kinds of company decisions typically made? Was there any conflict in the company (e.g., between management and employees) about the idea? Did [name of business] consider alternatives to the policy?
Why was it important for you/[name of business] to stop hiring smokers? (prompts:
health of employees, enhanced public image, cost savings on health insurance?)
If health of employees is mentioned: Has the company implemented any other health- related policies (e.g., subsidized gym memberships, healthy food in the cafeteria, smoke- free campuses, etc.)?
Did you have any doubts or concerns about the policy before you/[name of business]
implemented it? What were they?
How did [name of business] implement the policy? (prompts: Did the company decide to phase it in gradually or quickly? Was there a trial period? Did the company provide advance notice to employees and customers? Did the company inform the media? Does the policy only apply to new hires or does it include current employees? How does the company ensure compliance with the policy?)
How did employees, the public, and the media react? How did [name of business]
respond?
Do you currently advertise the policy on the company’s website? How did you advertise the policy when it was first implemented?
Did anyone associated with the tobacco industry contact [name of business] about the new employment policy? What did they say? How did [name of business] respond? Did any other organizations contact you (e.g., public health organizations, business
associations, employee unions)? What did they say? How did the company respond?
What kind of image does [name of business] seek to project? Is the policy part of that? If
Copyright © by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. 2 so, in what way?
Were there any unexpected benefits of the policy? Were there any unexpected problems associated with the policy?
Do you think employee morale has grown or suffered as a result of the policy? Why or why not?
Do you think there are conditions under which the policy might be rescinded or altered?
Have you encouraged other businesses to adopt the policy? Why or why not?
How satisfied are you with the policy? If you had to do it over, would you change anything?
How long have you been in your current position with the company (years)?
How many employees work at [name of business]? Do you know approximately how many smoked when the policy was first implemented?
Is there anything that hasn’t come up that you think it is important for me to know about?
Copyright © by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. 3 Supplemental Digital Appendix 2
Focus Group Protocol and Discussion Guide for Companies that Do Not Hire Smokers, Used With Community Members Who Lived In or Near the Cities Where Participating Employers Were Based
Focus group protocol
[Consent forms will be signed prior to distribution of pre-discussion questionnaire.]
Introduction [10-20 minutes]
Welcome, thanks for coming, introduce moderator and co-moderator.
Why we are here today: The overall objective of this study is to explore voluntary steps taken by some companies to no longer hire smokers. We would like to hear from you about your opinions of these decisions.
Process: open, confidential discussion, taped (with your consent) so researchers can write reports. Please use only first names or nicknames. It’s important that only one person at a time talk so we can hear everyone’s opinion. Everyone will have a chance to speak, and we hope to hear a variety of perspectives.
First, we will ask you to fill out a short questionnaire to give us some background information about who participated in our groups. There are no names collected on this.
Next, we will have a discussion centered on some issues we want the group to give us feedback on. We will ask for general opinions.
Finally, there is another short questionnaire to be completed before you leave. If anyone has trouble filling out questionnaires, please raise your hand and we can make arrangements to help you.
The payment invoice and $40 in cash will be distributed at the end of the session after you turn in your questionnaire.
Ask if anyone has questions.
Pre-discussion questionnaire [10-15 minutes]
Discussion [60 minutes]
We want to hear all viewpoints in this group, so don’t feel like you all have to agree about
everything. Respect each other’s right to his or her opinions. We aren’t here to judge anyone or to decide right or wrong. We want to learn from you and we want to hear from everyone.
Copyright © by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. 4
We’re going to be talking today about businesses in [state] that no longer hire people if they use tobacco.
Were you aware before today that some companies no longer hire tobacco users?
If you were aware, how did you find out about that? Did you read or see anything in the news about it? Do you have any personal experience with this type of hiring policy? If so, can you share the story with the group?
Why do you think a company would take this step?
What do you think about this policy? Is it something you support?
If you were a business owner, would your opinion be different?
Would your opinion of the policy change depending on the type of business that adopted the policy? For example, if a hospital or health care system decided to stop hiring smokers, is that different from an airline or a hotel doing so?
Are there any particular kinds of businesses that you think should have a policy like this?
If an employer doesn’t like smoking, are there any other policies you would recommend they consider?
What kind of impact do you think the policy will have on
Businesses that adopt it?
Smokers?
Those thinking about quitting?
Non-smokers?
Attitudes towards smoking?
Attitudes toward the tobacco industry?
Would you encourage other companies to adopt a smoker hiring ban? Would you discourage them? Have you done so?
Do you think [state] should pass a law that prohibits employers from deciding not to hire tobacco users?
[Discuss answers, reasons—encourage exchange/ask if there is consensus]
Final comments? Is there anything that hasn’t come up in the discussion that you think it is important for us to know about?
Thank you so much for all your great comments and for being so respectful of one another in the discussion. This has been a great group. The last part is the second short questionnaire.
Copyright © by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. 5 Post-discussion questionnaire [10-15 minutes]
When you are finished with the questionnaire, please hand it in to me.
