LANSING, MI – At a difficult economic time when many people face uncertain job futures, Sparrow has revised its hiring policy in order to allow the hiring of applicants who test positive for tobacco or nicotine as part of their pre-employment screening process as long as they attend a smoking cessation program.

The change not only contributes to the health and well-being of our applicants but will also increase job opportunities to area residents and will aid Sparrow in hiring new caregivers who are crucial in our response to the pandemic.

This revised hiring policy will also better position Sparrow to further its goal of being a role model for health improvement in Michigan.

In 2011, as part of Sparrow’s mission to improve the health of the people in our communities, we were among the first hospitals in Michigan to enact a policy to prohibit anyone from being hired at Sparrow and its affiliates if they tested positive for tobacco or nicotine products in any form.

The new change was made after we recently began a review of the policy and its impact on our community members.

As the area’s largest private employer, Sparrow is committed to continually strengthening our position as an employer of choice in the Mid-Michigan region. For more information, go to sparrow.org/careers.

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Sparrow Health System is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. Johns, as well as Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, Michigan Athletic Club, and Al!VE. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.