Is It Necessary to Incent Corporations to Initiate Employee Health and Wellness Programs?
Wellness rewards may seem like an effective way to get workers excited about Employee Health and Wellness Program – but is it smart?
This helps and encourages organizations to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy staff members, not only for the welfare of its workers, but as well as the welfare of the corporate bottom line … then, yes, it could be necessary.
Tax Breaks as Wellness rewards
In 2007, two senators decided to band together to create the “Healthy Workforce Act.” This act is designed to encourage organizations to keep workers healthy and prevent disease. The senators believed that having a country focused on “well care” versus “sick care” would decrease the overall costs of medical care for everyone. They decided to start with America’s staff members.
The legislation, introduced by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, states that companies would receive a Wellness reward – a fifty percent tax credit – if they provide to their workers a Employee Health and Wellness Program that meets the following criteria:
1) A health education and awareness component, which could include Health risk assessments and Health Screening and Biometric Testings.
2) A behavioral change component – such as counseling, seminars, or self-help materials to empower workers to lead healthier lifestyles.
3) A supportive environment component – including providing meaningful rewards to taking part in workers, such as a reduction in medical premiums or allowing workers to engage in walking Employee Health and Wellness Programs during the workday.
4) The creation of an staff member engagement committee – which would tailor the Employee Health and Wellness Program to the needs of the staff members at a particular business.
If this legislation gets passed, many organizations will be scrambling to provide Employee Health and Wellness Programs in hopes of receiving the Wellness rewards.
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