Wellness incentive rewards
Is It Necessary to Incent Businesses to Initiate Employee Wellness Programs?
Wellness incentive rewards may seem like an effective way to get workers excited about Employer Health and Wellness Program – but is it wise?
This helps and encourages businesses to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy workforce, not only for the welfare of its workers, but as well as the welfare of the business bottom line … then, yes, it could be necessary.
Tax Breaks as Wellness incentive rewards
In 2007, two senators decided to band together to create the “Healthy Workforce Act.” This act is designed to encourage businesses 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 workforce.
The legislation, introduced by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, notes that corporations would receive a Wellness incentive reward – a fifty percent tax credit – if they offer to their workers a Employer Health and Wellness Program that meets the following criteria:
1) A health awareness and education component, which could include Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) and Health Screenings.
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 offering meaningful incentive rewards to participating workers, such as a reduction in health premiums or allowing workers to engage in walking Employee Wellness Plans during the workday.
4) The creation of an employee engagement committee – which would tailor the Employer Health and Wellness Program to the needs of the workforce at a particular business.
If this law gets passed, many businesses will be scrambling to offer Employee Wellness Plans in hopes of receiving the Wellness incentive rewards.
