{"id":43535,"date":"2019-08-21T14:33:27","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T14:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/21\/no-ifs-ands-or-butts-vas-smoke-free-policy-will-now-apply-to-employees-too\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:43:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:43:04","slug":"no-ifs-ands-or-butts-vas-smoke-free-policy-will-now-apply-to-employees-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/veterans\/2019\/08\/21\/no-ifs-ands-or-butts-vas-smoke-free-policy-will-now-apply-to-employees-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Union challenges VA\u2019s smoke free policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Veterans Affairs new \u201csmoke free\u201d policy<\/a> for department health care facilities will now apply to employees too, not just patients and visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday, VA leadership announced they will extend the planned smoking ban to staff at hospitals and medical centers. While the new non-smoking policy will go into effect for patients and non-staff in October, the employee ban will begin in January 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie<\/a> said the move \u201cis consistent with our mission to promote a healthy environment for patients, visitors and employees at our facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department officials said the decision was made \u201cbased on employee union-negotiated timelines.\u201d But on Wednesday, American Federation of Government Employees filed a grievance to stop the move, saying VA had not worked with union officials on the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\t