Wellness incentive rewards
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Is It Necessary to Incent Businesses to Initiate Employee Health and Wellness Programs?
Wellness incentive rewards may seem like an effective way to get workers excited about Employee Health and Wellness Program - but is it wise?
This helps and encourages corporations to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy employees, 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 incentive rewards
In 2007, two senators decided to band together to create the “Healthy Workforce Act.” This act is designed to encourage corporations 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 healthcare for everyone. They decided to start with America’s employees.
The legislation, introduced by Oregon Senator Gordon Smith and Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, states that corporations would receive a Wellness incentive 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 awareness and education component, which could include Health risk assessments 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 providing meaningful incentive rewards to participating workers, such as a reduction in health premiums or allowing workers to engage in walking Employee Health and Wellness Programs during the workday.
4) The creation of an worker engagement committee – which would tailor the Employee Health and Wellness Program to the needs of the employees at a particular corporation.
If this legislation gets passed, many corporations will be scrambling to provide Employee Health and Wellness Programs in hopes of receiving the Wellness incentive rewards.
