For many employers, a smoking ban would not even apply to all workers. That is because currently 30 states and the District of Columbia prevent employers from banning off-duty smoking.21 In Addition, 13 states prevent employers from banning alcohol use away from work. Only six states have broad statutes that prevent employers from prohibiting any lawful behavior. Michigan is the only state that expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of weight, however the cities of San Francisco and Santa Cruz, Calif., also have this provision (San Francisco makes exceptions for police offi cers, fi refi ghters and the San Francisco 49ers football team). When designing Company Wellness Programs, employers ought to keep in mind local statutes as well as established common law.
Savings of Voluntary Company Wellness = (number of participants x savings per participant) – (cost of program)
Savings of Incentive-based Company Wellness = (number of participants x savings per participant) – (cost of program + cost of incentives/rewards)
Savings of Mandatory Company Wellness = (number of participants x savings per participant) – (cost of program + cost of policy-related turnover + cost of limited talent pool)
Constructing Company Wellness policies in a company that employs unionized workers can pose unique challenges. Company Wellness Programs may be perceived by some unions as a condition of employment and therefore would be subject to collective bargaining between the parties. However this circumstance can represent an opportunity for both groups, as a policy agreed upon between union leadership and management is likely to be received more favorably by workers. The United Auto Workers and General Motors worked together to create and position a joint Company Wellness which has successfully reached more than 800,000 participants. (See Case Studies, UAWGeneral Motors LifeSteps Company Wellness , p.21).
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