By The Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 4:43 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

PHILADELPHIA — The University of Pennsylvania's health system says that beginning this summer people who use tobacco products will no longer be hired.

A notice on the Philadelphia-based health system website's career page says that as of July 1, the system will cease hiring tobacco users as part of efforts to improve the health of all employees and reduce health care costs.

The ban applies to all locations of the Philadelphia-based system except those in New Jersey.

Vice president Judy Schueler told WCAU-TV that officials want to not only educate patients on healthy lifestyles but serve as a model for the community.

Schueler said employees won't be tested for tobacco use, as some employers with similar bans do, but evidence that an employee lied may result in "discipline for falsification of application."

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