Introduction to smoking policy:

ELS Language Centers is dedicated to providing a safe, secure and healthy learning environment for all of its students, employees, and visitors. In doing so, ELS fully supports and complies with all applicable laws and ordinances, as well as host institution and building policies that govern smoking.

Policy:

To promote an environment in which students, employees, and visitors are provided a safe, secure, and healthy learning environment, no smoking is permitted within any ELS Language Center facility.

All ELS students and employees must adhere to the smoking policies as dictated by federal, state, and/or institutional regulation or policy. Smoking in any ELS Language Center facility is expressly prohibited. All ELS students and employees must follow the smoking policies at the Language Center and host institution they attend or visit, which may include smoking in designated areas of the campus or outside the building, or the complete prohibition of smoking on any campus-owned property.

ELS considers adherence to the smoking policy vital for the promotion of a safe, secure, and healthy learning environment, and strictly enforces its and its host institutions’ smoking policies. Failure to adhere to the smoking policy of any Center building or host institution will result in a disciplinary process, up to and including expulsion for students or termination for employees.

Procedures:

All students must be provided the ELS Smoking Policy Contract and they must sign and date the contract upon receipt. A copy of this contract must remain on file at the Center. The contract articulates the ELS Smoking Policy and communicates the penalties for violation of the smoking policy. These penalties are on a graduated basis as follows:

1st Offense: You will be verbally reminded and this warning will be documented in your student file.

2nd Offense: You will be given a written warning for violating the smoking policy. Your sponsoring agency or your agent will be notified. The letter will be included in your student file.

3rd Offense: You will be given an ELS Expulsion Letter which will instruct you to either transfer to another school or return to your country immediately. You will not be allowed to continue your studies at your current ELS Language nor will you be able to return to your current Center or any other ELS Language Center. The ELS Expulsion Letter will be included in your student file.

All employees must adhere to the ELS Smoking Policy. Any employee who is in violation of the ELS Smoking Policy is subject to the progressive disciplinary process, as outlined in Section 8 of the ELS Human Resources Policy Manual.